The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has called for more funding into research and development of herbal medicines to support universal health coverage in the country.
Director-General of the agency, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, made the call at the Inaugural Symposium and Launching of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Drug Research, Herbal Medicine Development and Regulatory Science (ACEDHARS) with the theme “Drug Development from African Medicinal Plants: Opportunities, Challenges and Regulatory Approach” held in Lagos.
Adeyeye, in her keynote address at the forum stressed that investment in herbal medicine research and development would positively impact the economy of the pharmaceutical traditional medicine industry.
She said: “Herbal medicines are very important to healthcare delivery and can contribute significantly to universal health coverage in our country. Despite the widespread use, traditional medicines have not yet been integrated into the national healthcare system of many developing countries including Nigeria.
“The increasing use of herbal medicine despite general lack of research on some of this product is a call for concern. Investment in herbal medicine research and development is needed from all stakeholders including the government, so we can benefit from whatever God has given to us freely”, the NAFDAC boss added.
According to her, ACEDHARS is very important to Nigeria because of the focus which is the development of herbal medicine for the use of the people.
She explained that the Centre would function to ensure that adequate research is conducted and clinical trials are done on herbal products before usage, adding that as it were, some herbal medicine get to the market without adequate research and clinical trials to confirm their safety and efficacy.
Adeyeye advised herbal practitioners to take advantage of the Centre to increase their knowledge in the practice through continuous education, even if they have before and for those that don’t have, this centre will be of immense benefit to them expand their horizon.
In addition, she explained they can take short courses and if they are not well schooled, they can have somebody in their organisation that can attend,” she said.
Earlier in her remarks, Vice Chancellor of the University of Lagos, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, who was represented by Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services, Prof. Obinna Chukwu, said that there was need to tap into the indigenous knowledge of herbal practitioners.
Ogundipe described the symposium as timely in examining the challenges, opportunities as well as the regulatory approach for drug development for Africa medicinal plants.
He said: “We must appreciate the fact that the herbal medicine we have are quite efficacious and there is the need for us to tap into the indigenous knowledge.
“Some herbal medicines are quite useful in addressing a number of ailments but the problem is that some of these medicines had been seen as a cure for all ailments which the Yoruba call “gbogbo nise”.
” The issue of quality control, proper identification of medicinal plants, standardisation of active ingredients and chemical compound in herbal medicine will be addressed.
“We are also looking forward to a period where modern technology will be applied in herbal medicine research”, the Vice Chancellor stressed.
The Director/Centre Leader, Omobolanle Ade-Ademilua, said ACEDHARS, which is a World Bank approved centre of excellence, was established to train skilled manpower in herbal medicine.
Ade-Ademilua listed the trainings as including, quality assurance, standardisation of dosages, reproducibility of herbal preparations and safety monitoring of drugs in West and Central African region.
