The Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency has reported that 70 percent of Nigerians continue to use herbal medicines, a practice that has existed since the dawn of humanity. In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja, the Director-General of NNMDA, Samuel Etatuvie, emphasized that this trend does not undermine the practice of orthodox medicine. He explained that part of the agency’s mandate is to research, collect, and document indigenous herbal products, noting that they have already researched 14 such products.
Etatuvie highlighted that five of these products have been officially listed by the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control, while the remaining products are still awaiting approval. He stated, “Natural medicine practice is as old as mankind; orthodox medicine emerged several decades later and is primarily practiced in urban areas.” He further elaborated that both natural and orthodox medicine are practiced concurrently in Nigeria and around the world. Specifically, he noted that over 70 percent of Nigerians rely on natural medicine practitioners, particularly because rural areas often lack modern healthcare facilities.
In each community, there are herbal medicine practitioners or herbal products available, according to Etatuvie. He also pointed out that natural medicines serve various purposes beyond health, including protection, the act of disappearance, massage, color management, and traditional birth attendance. The agency is dedicated to researching indigenous natural medicines, which, if effectively harnessed, could significantly contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product.
Comments are closed for this story.