Nigeria’s Traditional Medicine Practitioners Unite To Meet WHO Standards

The Modern Traditional Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria (MTMPN) and the National Association of Nigeria Traditional Medicine Practitioners have once again emphasised the need for groups or individual practicing traditional medicine to come together under one umbrella to achieve their aims and objectives in other to meet the World Health Organisation (WHO) standard.

Addressing journalists shortly after attending an annual event to mark the traditional medicine of India at the Indian High Commission in Abuja, Amb. Dr. Ibrahim Dada Nakowa, National President, Modern Traditional Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria, enjoined all traditional medicine practitioners who were yet to register with the two recognised bodies by the federal government of Nigeria – the Modern Traditional Medicine Practitioners of Nigeria (MTMPN) and the National Association of Nigeria Traditional Medicine Practitioners – to do so immediately.

Amb. Nakowa who doubles as the World Global President of the Green World Association as well as the National Coordinator of the Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM ), a department under the federal ministry of health, noted that they can only grow as a recognised body.

According to him, “the two recognised bodies were invited here today at the India High Commission to witness the India Traditional Medicine Day. We are also making plans to go into collaboration with the Indian government to see how we can import medicinal plants to Nigeria. India has a lot of medical plants and we can leverage on this to boost our traditional medicine, healthcare system in Nigeria.”

“This is the reason it is important for us to come together,” he added.

The National President of National Association of Nigeria Traditional Medicine Practitioners, Dr. Alhaji Shaba Makurdi, noted that the India Traditional Medicinal Day is celebrated globally because the government of India recognises their health tradition and culture to the extent that it was integrated into their health delivery system.

“Based on this subject, we are calling on all the Nigerian traditional medicine practitioners to collaborate so that we will be able to unite under an umbrella body to set an example of India and China,” he stated.

He warned that any individual or group practising traditional medicine in Nigeria without identifying with the two recognised bodies will face the consequences.