Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Professor Akin Abayomi has tasked members of the newly constituted Traditional Medicine Board Research Group of the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board to embark on advocacy that would focus on conservation and preservation of the State’s biodiversity.
Lagos Health Commissioner
Professor Abayomi gave the charge at a recent meeting with members of the Committee to review their activities since the committee was inaugurated January this year and to also identify areas that needs the intervention of the Ministry of Health.
He stressed that conscious efforts must be made to preserve the natural habitat, explaining that some plants by nature would not grow in an artificial environment.
“The call to preserve the environment is such that affects everyone but you as traditional medicine practitioners are more affected because you don’t have the micro environment for some plants hence the need to give it whatever it takes to restore biodiversity at all cost,” he said.
The commissioner also underscored the need for members of the Research Group to work hand in hand with the Health Facility Monitoring and Accreditation Agency, HEFAMAA of the Ministry to identify grey areas that needed attention while conducting clinical studies or trials in the alternative medicine way.
“Apart from domestication your own clinical studies, you must also set for yourself a Standard Operating Procedure that have international benchmark with laid down ethics guiding your conduct and operations,” he said.
He added that the Ministry is making concerted efforts towards obtaining grants from its donor partners and funding agencies to support government Research programmes, revealing that a Grant Management Unit has been established to coordinate activities in this area.
In her remarks, The Chairman of the Traditional Medicine Board, Professor Adebukunola Oshintelu, said the Board is planning to engage more institutions for a robust Research group.
Oshintelu who was a former Dean at University of Lagos, Akoka acknowledged the fact that the task before the board is herculean and very tedious but maintained that with the crop of professionals as members of the Board, noticeable development would be seen in the administration of the Traditional Medicine Board.
She promised that as part of the research group’s efforts, the board would intensify its clampdown activities on quacks amongst traditional medicine practitioners operating in the State, stressing that the unprofessional conducts of these quacks
could thwart the efforts of the entire research team.
Also speaking, a member of the Research group and Director, Centre for Research and Development, FUTA, Akure, Prof. Ganiu Oboh, said that researchers should not just look into efficacy of plants but added that the toxicology aspect must also be thoroughly researched into in addition to dosages.
He enjoined the Board’s Registrar, Mr Olorunkemi Kadiku to focus on thematic aspects of research noting that Nigeria’s issues must be solved using Nigerian way.
