COVID-19: Why Nigeria should harness potentials of African traditional medicines –Ooni

The   Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, has called on the federal government and other stakeholders to harness potentials of African traditional medicines in the COVID-19 response.

He said the effects of the new COVID-19 pandemic in the last six months has underscored the need to harness potentials of African traditional medicines in the country.

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He was speaking during a virtual commemoration of the African Traditional Medicine Day and launch of his initiative, the Pan African Foundation for Traditional Medical Research and Development (PAFIMERD) in Lagos, on Monday.

He also called on government at all levels and the national and state houses of assembly to provide requisite policies and appropriate funding for research and development of African traditional medicines in the 2021 budget.

He said: “The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged and put on trial orthodox medicines and repositioned African traditional medicines as credible alternative sources of therapy and cure for several illnesses and diseases.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has created a new opportunity and virile conditions for our indigenous herbal medicines to thrive. It is gratifying to note that I have seized the momentum to seek ways of ameliorating the sufferings of our people and stop avoidable deaths of our people through the promotion and development of African traditional medicines.”

The traditional ruler said his Virasol  Herbal Medicine was one of the over 40 herbal medicines submitted to the National Agency for  Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC)  for registration as immune booster against COVID-19 disease.

He said the herbal remedy has passed NAFDAC laboratory tests and that the registration number could be out this week.

He said his new initiative, Pan African Foundation for Indigenous Medical Research and Development (PAFIMERD), is in the process of signing an MoU with the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD).