ESCALATING COST OF HEALTHCARE AND THE NEGLECTED TRADITIONAL MEDICINE
By: Augustine Omilo
“Interestingly, states like Delta already have Traditional Medicine Boards that can drive the policy. With credible renowned practitioners serving on the boards, governments will be able to monitor and control those in traditional medical practice. And one of the measures to be taken by regulatory agencies will of course be to continually inspect the places of practice to ensure that they meet minimum hygienic requirements.”
The World Health Organization, WHO defines Traditional and Complementary Medicine, TCM as a broad set of health-care practices, approaches, knowledge, and beliefs that include plant, animal and mineral-based medicines; exercises, all of which can be used alone or in conjunction with others.
In underscoring the importance of herbal medicines in health care delivery, the organisation has come up with a strategy – World Health Organisation’s Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014 – 2023 which was developed and launched in response to the World Health Assembly Resolution on traditional medicine with an aim at supporting member states in developing proactive policies and implementing action plans that will strengthen the role traditional medicine plays in keeping populations healthy.
In appreciating the roles being played by WHO along the line of using herbal medicines to ensure a healthier world, countries like India, China and USA have continued to invest in this aspect of healing men and women of sickness and diseases. To prove her commitment to alternative medical practice, India recently donated a whopping sum of $85m to the World Health Organisation as an advance contribution. This is only part of the $250m she proposed towards the development of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) – a knowledge centre for traditional medicine.
Given the current economic challenges faced by Nigeria, especially as it affects health care delivery in the country, it is not out of place for the governments at all levels to begin to embrace traditional medicine as part of the solutions to the health systems challenges. This is particularly so as there is growing acceptance of traditional healing methods globally.
Recent research carried out by an India-based global market research organization, Fortune Business Insights show that herbal market share in the health sector around the world stood at $216b in 2023 with a projection of $233b in 2024 and growth to $437b in 2032.
Therefore, apart from helping to make health care delivery accessible to more Nigerians lacking the wherewithal to pay for orthodox medical services, it can also become an organized source of income and money spinner for genuine practitioners registered with appropriate government agencies.
Herbal medicine preparation ingredients abound in bushes. And bushes abound in Nigeria. So, the issue of high cost of production arising from the exchange rate between the American dollar and Naira will not form the basis for pricing.
Interestingly, states like Delta already have Traditional Medicine Boards that can drive the policy. With credible renowned practitioners serving on the boards, governments will be able to monitor and control those in traditional medical practice. And one of the measures to be taken by regulatory agencies will of course be to continually inspect the places of practice to ensure that they meet minimum hygienic requirements.
Furthermore, the agencies can regularly offer trainings to practicing members in the country with a view to ensuring sharp practices such as killing of human beings for money rituals and other vices are not encouraged.
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Meanwhile, young fellows with interest this area of eking out a living can equally be initiated into the profession by parents and other older members of the group. As the practicing population increases, researchers can begin to produce findings on the various herbal drugs in order to establish their curing potency.
A long time ago, late Mrs. Elizabeth Kafaru, herbal medicine expert was a regular columnist with the Guardian newspapers. Her column was concentrated on herbal medical education. The knowledge she presented were free. The same service can be offered by more Nigerians with such abilities.
With continued education-backed practice, a time will come when some or all the segments of herbal medicine will become so accepted that universities in the country will become interested in offering it as part of medical science education. This is already the case in India where about 70% of her population of 1.1 billion people rely on herbal treatments for ailments.
Those who argue that traditional healing is primitive only do so because of their preference for the western world’s approach to the means of existence. But surprisingly, these same people do not fail to comply with all manners of customs and traditions in terms of marriages, burials, naming ceremonies and the rest that have to be done as required by the African native laws, no matter how mundane.
According to the former president of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, for the country to succeed, she must provide the food and nutrition needs of her citizens. Food in-takes must be complemented by the right medications in times of need. Having these two problems resolved will boost the life expectancy figure of the nation which is currently put at 52. 8 years by the highest health monitoring body in the world.
On the whole, practitioners of traditional medicine must understand that their approval at all tiers of governance in Nigeria is not for the purpose of competition with western traditions of health care delivery. It is only this that can bring harmony between all bodies responsible for a healthier Nigeria.