Towards boosting the production and promotion of natural medicines for enhanced healthcare accessibility for all Nigerians, the National House of Assembly (NASS) has expressed interest in extending the functional presence of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA) to every Local Government Area (LGA) across the country, through the creation of offices for the agency in all LGAs.
This, the NASS said will bring about development to the practice of natural medicine in the country, as done in other countries like India, China and Japan, as well as create employment opportunities for Nigerian youths.
The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Compliance, Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed-Badau, made this commitment during a working visit to the NNMDA headquarters in Lagos, on Wednesday.
Alhaji Ahmed-Badau, who expressed his delight in the strides of the agency over the years, and it’s potential in becoming a significant source of external revenue for the country, if handled appropriately, pledged to further discuss the possibilities of equipping the agency with 15,000 staff as well as more funds for the advancement of healthcare in the country, with little or no foreign dependency.
“I am highly impressed and delighted with what I’ve seen in this building” he said, “and promised to help this great institution.
“However, my hope is for you to have an office and hospital in every ward and local government in Nigeria, in order to provide job opportunities for our teaming youth’s population and affordable treatment for all tropical diseases in Nigeria and drugs to all Nigerians at cheaper rates.”
He continued by emphasising the economic importance of the agency, if its tentacles are spread to all states and LGAs to harness the natural plants there into standardised herbs for different ailments in Nigeria and beyond, arguing that this will definitely enhance reduction in the cost of drugs, and ultimately reduce dependence on foreign medicines.
The Director General, NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, who received Ahmed-Badau and his entourage with profound pleasure, appreciated the Federal Government of Nigeria’s support to the agency, with pictorial display of projects and outreaches implemented with fund allocated to the agency.
An enthusiastic and confident Emeje, passionate of the possibilities in natural medicines, averred that the nation will witness a turnaround in revenue generation, if the agency could be entrusted with 15,000 staff to comb all the nooks and crannies of the country, to harvest and develop medicinal plants for herbal drugs development.
He noted that the agency is not limited to plants development, but also plays a significant role in livestock management for therapeutic formulations to encourage the use of locally made animal medicines.
“We are excited and we feel highly fulfilled to have the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Compliance with us today. With this visit, Nigerians, finally are about to be liberated from the shackles of colonialism and over dependence on importation of medicines that are indigenous to other people because they use their brain, while it appears we are not using our brains.
“The presence of the committee here shows that the resolution is being achieved. So that’s the first thing, that the committee left Abuja to come to the agency has been directed, shows that the resolution is being achieved. The next thing is to put life into that resolution, that is provide the two big supports we have requested- the financial support and the human support,” he said.
The NNMDA DG continued, “I need at least 15,000 staff to get this country to turn around and nobody will be looking for oil money. I mean nobody will look for oil money if they give me 15,000 staff to be deployed to 20 local governments.
“If this is granted, in 12 months, this country will be a net exporter of medicinal plants and natural medicines both in their raw form processed and standardised and as medical products for intervention. With this development, people will now have what we call 100% access to medicine and universal health coverage, using our own natural medicines as the core.”
The highpoint of the event was the decoration of Alhaji Yusuf Ahmed-Badau as a natural medicine ambassador and the presentation of the Best Intern Award to Pharm.Barakat Murtala, who was recognised for her exceptional performance in the pharmaceutical section of the agency.
