Enhancing Nigerian Healthcare With Traditional Medicine - Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi

Lagos State government is growing traditional medicine to support its health care delivery system.
Chairman, Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board (LSTMB) Dr Bunmi Omoseyindemi made this known at a workshop for tradition medicine practitioners and health workers in the private sector.
The workshop was held in conjunction with a United Kingdom (UK) based organisation, Department for International Development’s (DFID’s) Partnership for Transforming Health Systems II (Part 2) at Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in Ikeja.
Dr Omoseyindemi said DFID is contributing to effective and efficient use of the nation’s resources to achieve the health-related Millennium Development Goals 4 and 5.
He said: “The capacity building would help develop traditional and alternative medicine practice so that they would be able to support the healthcare delivery system in the state, as the Ministry of Health would need accurate data in planning some of its policies and improving on health indices.
“The workshop will also ensure there is improvement in the quality of healthcare.”
Five Local Government Areas (LGAs) would serve as the launch pad for health workers in the private sector. They are Amuwo-Odofin, Alimosho, Kosofe, Ibeju Lekki and Ikorodu LGAs.
Omoseyindemi said the baseline assessment of orthodox medicine practitioners, traditional birth attendants (TBAs), patent medicine vendors and community pharmacists have been conducted, adding, “the training needs of practitioners were identified based on the maternal death review report from secondary and tertiary hospitals.”
The LSTMB, he said, was supported to develop its electronic database for entry of community level data.
He said before the capacity training, the board and the Lagos State College of Health Technology (LASCOHET) have reviewed the curriculum for TBAs and community birth attendants’ training programme.
The Chairman also said the board had trained some practitioners on six priority diseases in West Africa as directed by the West African Health Organisation (WAHO). The diseases are hypertension, diabetes, sickle cell anaemia, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis (TB) and malaria.
The objective is to train practitioners on the use of herbs and preparation methods following the guidelines in the region’s Herbal Pharmacopoeia.
The Board, he said, also collaborated with a non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in the United States, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to train 1,115 TBAs on childhood diseases, such as diarhoea management.
“The objective was to empower them to become diarhoea champions in their various communities by educating mothers under their care on the proper use of zinc plus oral rehydration salt (ORS) for the effective management of the condition, which accounts for 11 per cent of childhood deaths. The programme was held in 20 LGAs across Lagos State,” Omoseyindemi said.
He added that his Board would continue to conduct further tranings for practitioners
“LSTMB and the state Ministry of Health organised training on Integrated Community Case Management (ICCM) of childhood illnesses for TBAs, Pharmaceutical Medicine Vendors (PMVs) and community pharmacists.
“The TBAs have been linked to chlorhexidine gel for cord care and as such training on antenatal, maternal and newborn care were done. They were all sensitised on the importance of referral,” Omoseyindemi added.

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There Are Great Potentials For Nigerian Natural Medicine - Dr. Olu Adeola

Mr. Olu Adeola is the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Abeokuta-based Globalherbs Natural Healthcare Product Company. In this chat with Financial Vanguard in Abeokuta recently, the Business Administration and Management graduate from the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, speaks on why he ventured into natural/traditional medicine and why Nigeria has not been able to exploit her huge bio-resources potential.

Why natural medicine?
According to Adeola, he got into natural medicine because of its huge potential for Nigeria. "I have been in this business for over a decade. I was seconded from Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA).
I was in a collaborative venture with the agency and while there, they discovered the enormous potential in me and my ability for in-depth research into our traditional medicine because Nigerians as a people, only look forward but fail to look backward. You have to look at the past and move on in the present to project the future.
"What fascinated me in natural\traditional medicine is that it has a lot of potential in arresting most of the ailments especially in sub-Sahara Africa that orthodox medicine does not have cure for. As everyone knows, malaria is our major problem in Africa and for a very long time, we have depended on western countries for solutions to most of our problems.
This should not be the case because God has created us in this environment and has given us all that we need to survive under this environment but it is perhaps, our inability to look inwards that has made it impossible for us to unlock the potential within our environment.
Since I came into natural medicine, it has been a blessing to me, my family and mankind because over the years, I have been able to collaborate with the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) in Abuja in the research for drugs for diabetes, tuberculosis, malaria and other ailments."
Asked whether they have come up with any natural drug for diabetes, he said: "A lot of good things have been done by NIPRD and even the NNMDA, but you know, the problem in Nigeria is lack of funding. I know that at NIPRD, a lot of work has been done on that but as you know, research is not something you start one day and come out with your findings the next day. It takes about 10 years. In orthodox medicine, they have to do a lot of write-ups and carry out a lot of tests."
Some of the products developed:
"I developed a product called Valueplus, a dental drop and mouthwash. It is 100 per cent Nigerian product and it has been submitted to NIPRD for scientific investigation. It can help HIV-positive people against opportunistic infections like oral thrush as well as HIV negative people who want to preserve their dental health. Other products are Dr. Malaria, hyperherbs, combatol range of hair and skin products, bitters etc.
"NNMDA has been up and doing as it relates to most of the products I have developed because I have a good working relationship with the leadership of the agency. Also, the Director-General of the National Board for Technology Incubation, Dr. Mohammed Jibrin has been highly resourceful and supportive.
To most entrepreneurs at the Technology Incubation Centre, Abeokuta, it is like going back to the classroom because for every product you make, there is a mandate that you must be able to present it for external investigation. So it is not just to claim that you have done so and so, you have to defend it,"he said.
Home Remedies for Coughs
Adeola who presently has three employees and hopes to employ more if he is able to access funds, appealed to the Federal Government to make the conditions for accessing loan from the Bank of Industry less stringent so entrepreneurs can easily access loans from the bank as that will help Nigeria move from a mono economy to diversified economy to enable her exploit the huge potential in bio-resources. "Nigeria has got it but the only thing is our inability to exploit it.
"All my raw materials are locally sourced except some of the packaging materials which we import because most of the companies that produce the packaging materials are not in the country so we resort to buying from outside the country. Aside that, virtually everything has been given to us in Nigeria free of charge."

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Go Ahead, Eat That Onion!

Onions are part of the allium family of vegetables and herbs, which also includes chives, garlic, scallions and leeks. Allium vegetables have been cultivated for centuries for not only their characteristic, pungent flavors but also for their medicinal properties. Onions can vary in size, shape, color and flavor. The most common types are red, yellow and white onion. Flavors can vary from sweet and juicy with a mild flavor to sharp, spicy, and pungent, often depending on the season in which they are grown and consumed. It is estimated that 105 billion pounds of onions are harvested each year worldwide.
The health benefits of consuming onions include lowering the risk of several types of cancer, improving mood and maintaining the health of skin and hair.

Onions are a nutrient-dense food, meaning that while they are low in calories, they are high in beneficial nutrients like vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. One cup of chopped onion contains approximately 64 calories, 15 grams of carbohydrate, 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of cholesterol, 3 grams of fiber, 7 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein and 10% or more of the daily value for vitamin C, vitamin B-6 and manganese. Onions also contain small amounts of calcium, iron, folate, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium and the antioxidants quercetin and sulfur.

Onions can be sautéed, roasted, grilled or caramelized, be used fresh as a topping for sandwiches or salads and added to salsas and dips.

Look for onions that are dry and firm with little to no scent before they are peeled.
Adding onion is a great way to add flavor to a dish without adding extra calories, fat or sodium. They are often a staple in many kitchens and pair well with most dishes.

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The Edge Of Natural Medicine Over Orthodox Drugs

Herbal Health Care is mainly specialized and sales of natural healthcare products made from traditional medicine.

Experts say the modern medical system treats the symptoms and suppresses the disease but does little to ascertain the real cause. Toxic drugs which may suppress or relieve some ailments usually have harmful side-effects. Drugs usually hinder the self-healing efforts of the body and make recovery more difficult. According to the late Sir William Osler, an eminent physician and surgeon, when drugs are used, the patient has to recover twice - once from the illness, and once from the drug.

Drugs cannot cure diseases; disease continues. It is only its pattern that changes. Drugs also produce dietary deficiencies by destroying nutrients, using them up, and preventing their absorption. Moreover, the toxicity they produce occurs at a time when the body is least capable of coping with it. The power to restore health thus lies not in drugs,but in nature.

The approach of modern system is more on combative lines after the disease has set in, whereas nature cure system lays greater emphasis on preventive method and adopts measures to attain and maintain health and prevent disease. The modern medical system treats each disease as a separate entity, requiring specific drug for its cure, whereas the nature cure system treats the organism as a whole and seeks to restore harmony to the whole of the patient’s being.

Home remedies and natural cures or medicines made at home from natural ingredients such as fruits, vegetables, herbs are catching a lot of attention due to its very nature of cure: simple, no side effects, no chemicals, inexpensive, plus the pleasure of being able to cure yourself!

Currently, Herbal HealthCare products have been exported to many countries and regions such as Russia, Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Israel, Poland and Germany. Meanwhile, its headquarters has been established in Europe (Moscow) and such branches as in Lithuania, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Yekaterinburg and New Siberia have been founded, with the products having been scheduled to be launched into Southeast Asian and African markets.

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Herbal Medicine As A Course Of Study In Nigerian Universities: Matters Arisen

Herbal medicine is often regarded as esoteric science – studied and practiced by a select few. But thanks to a new university curriculum the federal government is introducing, herbal medicine may soon become a part of mainstream science in Nigeria.

The government has concluded plans to introduce herbal medicine studies in Nigerian universities. This announcement was made at the 3rd Annual Guest Lecture organized by Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, MHWUN, in Abuja.

Ever since this was made known last year, the issue has been debated in many quarters. To most Nigerian's this is a welcome development. Practitioners in the Nigerian Herbal Medicine industry say this would go a long way in enhancing the efficacy of Natural Medicine in Nigeria and bring professionalism to bear in the delivery in the non-orthodox segment of the health sector.

Speaking on the necessity of formalizing the study of herbal medicine, the then Minister of Health, Onyebuchi Chukwu expressed that universal health coverage cannot be achieved without the involvement of trained herbal medicine practitioners.

“If you are a herbal practitioner, you are a doctor. A herbalist is a doctor. But the first function of a doctor is to take a diagnosis. Is it Lassa fever or Ebola?  Or is it Dengue or is it malaria or typhoid? You have to get the answer before you begin to give that herb,” he said. 

He also stated that to fully understand the human body and make accurate diagnoses, knowledge of subjects including anatomy, biochemistry, pharmacology, Physiology, are needed. And this is what a formal herbal medicine curriculum could provide.

The course is expected to have commenced in universities early this year. But industry watchers say they are yet to see any visible sign that the course has kicked off in Nigeria Universities.

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Palm Oil Or Groundnut Oil - Which Should You Use?

Stew is a very important part of foods eaten in Nigerian cities. Here, it is used to eat special delicacies e.g. rice. Some also use it to eat amala, eba, fufu and even bread. Stew can be fried with a variety of oils; however, in Nigeria, the two kinds of oil mostly used are palm oil and groundnut or vegetable oil.  Even though, traditionally, palm oil pre-dates groundnut oil, the latter seems to be used more than the former. Findings, however, are beginning to indicate that palm oil may be a better ingredient for stew than groundnut oil – especially when mildly heated to burn off the saturated fats it is known for.
Palm oil is naturally reddish because it contains a high amount of beta-carotene (though boiling palm oil destroys the beta-carotene, rendering the oil colourless), which helps the eye to fight infections. Palm oil is one of the few vegetable oils relatively high in saturated fats (just like palm kernel oil and coconut oil). It is thus semi-solid at typical temperate climate room temperatures, though it will more often appear as liquid in warmer countries.
Palm oil contains several saturated and unsaturated fats in the forms of lauric (0.1%, saturated), myristic (0.1%, saturated), palmitic (44%, saturated), stearic (5%, saturated), oleic (39%, monounsaturated), linoleic (10%, polyunsaturated), and linolenic (0.3%, polyunsaturated) acids. Like any vegetable oils, palm oil is designated as cholesterol-free, though saturated fat intake increases cholesterol.
Palm oil is a very common cooking ingredient in southeast Asia and the tropical belt of Africa. Its increasing use in the commercial food industry in other parts of the world is buoyed by its cheaper pricing and the high oxidative stability of the refined product.
So, when next you want to fry that stew, which should you use - palm oil or groundnut oil?

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