Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, Director-General, 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.
Adeyeye made the call on Wednesday at the Inaugural Symposium and Launching of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Drug Research, Herbal Medicine Development and Regulatory Science (ACEDHARS), University of Lagos.
The theme of the event is “Drug Development from African Medicinal Plants: Opportunities, Challenges and Regulatory Approach.
The DG. who delivered the keynote speech at the event. said 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 Nigeria.
Despite the widespread use, traditional medicines have not yet been integrated into the national healthcare system of 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 what God has given to us freely” she stated.
Prof. Adeyeye also said ACEDHARS is very important to Nigeria because of the focus which is the development of herbal medicine for the use of the people.
“This centre will function to ensure that adequate research is conducted and clinical trials are done on herbal products before usage. As it were, some herbal medicine get to the market without adequate research and clinical trials to confirm their safety and efficacy” she said.
The DG advised herbal practitioners to take advantage of the centre to increase their knowledge in the practice.
Speaking earlier, Prof. Oluwatoyin Ogundipe, Vice Chancellor, University of Lagos, represented by Prof. Obinna Chukwu, Deputy Vice Chancellor, Management Services, 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.
Speaking also, Omobolanle Ade-Ademilua, Director/Centre Leader, said ACEDHARS, which is a World Bank approved centre of excellence, is established to train skilled manpower.
Ade-Ademilua said the training includes quality assurance, standardisation of dosages, re-productivity of herbal preparations and safety monitoring of drugs in West and Central African region.
