By Olakunle Agboola – The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that around 80% of the population in Africa, makes use of traditional medicines. About 85% of traditional medicines involve the use of plant extracts. This would imply that the reliance on herbal medicine is immense. To appreciate the extent of this dependence, it is estimated that in sub-Saharan Africa there is one traditional healer for every 500 people, whereas there is only one medical doctor for every 40,000 people.
Nevertheless, the standardization of herbal medicines compared to orthodox medicines in Africa by regulating Agencies and health Institutions is comparatively poor now that quite a number of Africans are turning to herbal medicine at the time of Covid-19. This is attested by Dr. Owolabi, a curator and senior technologist at the Botanical Garden, University of Ibadan who is of the opinion that Covid-19 ought not to kill anybody in Africa, if the government is proactive to the use of herbal medicines to fight Covid-19.
“There is practically no obvious reason why the orthodox system of standardization and regulation using official books and monographs such as British Pharmacopeia, BP, United States Pharmacopeia, USP and the US National Formulary cannot be used for herbal medicines. It is time we stopped waiting for WHO or the Americans or British for standardization. We need to come together to solve our own problem in Africa, as we have been surviving using herbal medicine before the colonial masters came with Orthodox medicine’’
Dr. Owolabi emphasized on the relevance of herbal medicine which he defined as the use of herbs to cure all sorts of diseases. And when asked of his position using herbs to cure Covid-19, he said, Covid-19 is nothing but a little higher than Malaria and can be totally cured using African herbs.
‘There is cure for Covid-19 under herbal medicine and if there is anybody suffering from Covid-19 bring them to me as I will cure the person in three to four days and there won’t be any symptom again. Ignorance is killing majority of us because we don’t know the importance of herbs most especially in Africa. Why is it that some of our political leaders will announce on TV or social media that they are negative to Covid-19 in three to five days after they have tested positive. The secret is herbs and not even hydroxychloroquine but they won’t tell you. Why are people living in thickly populated areas such as Bere, Oje, and Bodija in Ibadan not contacting Covid-19? They won’t because they take herbs. You don’t see them in the hospital, because they know the herbs to take and that is what we should be promoting in Africa.
“If there is a cure for Diabetes, Cancer and all sorts of terrible diseases under herbal medicine, then why should Covid-19 be different. Under herbal medicine, I have cured cancer, diabetes which those who I have treated can testify. So, there is a permanent cure for Covid-19 and all sorts of diseases under herbal medicine.’’
And when asked about how the government can intervene in promoting herbal medicine in Africa. Dr. Owolabi said, “Government policy is the major problem why the development of herbal medicine most especially in Africa has not gained a global recognition.”
“This is the time we start using our own medicine for our own people as we have seen in Madagascar who against all odds, stood firm in promoting local herbal tonic to fight Covid-19. Earlier in the month the President of Madagascar, Andry Rajoelina was out again distributing herbal tonic to children at school. That is the kind of government we need in Africa to be economically independent. Ooni of Ife, also have researched the use of herbal medicine and once said, he has a tested cure for coronavirus working with Yem Kem international (an alternative medicine expert) pharmaceutical company for the packaging and distribution globally.’’
Despite Madagascar’s exports of the herbal medicine to several countries, doubts remain. Denis Chopera, a virologist working in South Africa, said that, since there are no side effects, the herb can’t cause harm, but people shouldn’t presume it is a miracle cure. “People are taking immune boosters and so on,” he said on VOA’s English-to-Africa’s radio and TV programs. “So, I don’t think there’s any harm, but I don’t think people should expect that it will treat them and cure COVID-19 because that has not been proven scientifically.”
Nevertheless, interest in traditional medicine as potential remedies for COVID-19 is growing in Africa. Matshidiso Moeti, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, was quoted in the statement saying;
“As the world races to find treatment and vaccines against the virus, research into traditional medicines as potential COVID-19 therapy must be grounded”
Recently, WHO held a virtual meeting with 70 experts in African traditional medicine on finding lasting solution to coronavirus.
It is obvious that the upsurge of herbal medicines in Africa has great prospects. Several scientists in African countries, including South Africa and Senegal, are currently performing tests on herbal extracts to fight Covid-19. The World Health Organization has also pledged to conduct a study into the plant’s effectiveness.
Therefore, there is a need to accelerate promotional plans and government funding for biotechnology industries, development of scientific herbal medicine, training and re-training of herbal medicine practitioners, establishment and implementation of good policy frame work for the regulation and standardization of herbal medicines.
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