….Promises To Address Their Complaints
By Innocent Osuoha.
The Hon Commissioner for Science, Technology, Innovation and Engineering Services,Imo State, Rt. Hon. Engr. Ikenna Elezieanya has charged members of South East Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (SETRAMPA), Imo State Chapter, to apply scientific and innovative measures in the practice of traditional medicine.
Engr Elezieanya who gave the charge in his office at the State Secretariat Complex when the group paid him a courtesy call emphasised that days were gone when traditional medicine was overlooked and considered “fetish” owing to the fact that it did not pass through scientific research.
The Commissioner averred that traditional medicine was all about natural herbs, which according to him, is equally effective in healthcare delivery if given the necessary scientific/innovative measures.
He insisted that traditional medicine needed to be given a boost as it is in some developed countries like India where they have most of their traditional medicine in capsules and tablets as well as in other forms with regulatory measures of administration and charged them to follow suit.
Commissioner Elezieanya insisted that traditional medicine has come to stay in healthcare delivery, but cannot go far if the scientific research and innovative measures were neglected, hence the need to put them in place for quality healthcare.
He encouraged the group to partner government agencies as their integration into science and technology ministry is geared towards the promotion of research and development efforts in traditional medicine which is challenged by the need for scientific explanation for the administration and efficacy of herbal products in the management of human health.
He then promised to look into their complaint in the area of their domiciled status between his Ministry and that of Health and commended them for their visit.
Earlier in his presentation, the Chairman of SETRAMPA, Imo State Chapter, Chief Dr. Ohanaja Thomas, who led the delegation, said they came to identify with the Ministry and intimate the Commissioner of their aims and activities.
Chief Ohanaja said that the association (SETRAMPA) was duly inaugurated by Senator Hope Uzodimmma’s administration in 2020 and domiciled with Ministry of Science and Technology , stating that the former association , National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTIMP), a national umbrella that housed all the Traditional Medicine Practitioners in Nigeria under health ministry then was dissolved at the National level by the Board of Trustee of the association at Abuja and directed that Traditional Medicine Practitioners be housed by Science and Technology Ministry in order to give room for scientific research and innovative measures which the process lacks abinitio.
Dr Ohanaja disclosed that they were directed to register in their different zones which gave rise to SETRAMPA at South East Zone with headquarters in Abia State and decried that some of the traditional practitioners who refused to comply with this directive, hide under their old umbrella (NANTIMP), domiciled with Ministry of health to exhibit their products which lack scientific research.
He equally stressed that it would be odd to exempt Imo State from the national/zonal umbrella of SETRAMPA which housed the entire States in South East and urged the Commissioner to use his good offices to intervene by allowing them remain with Science and Technology Ministry where others belong.
The SETRAMPA also pleaded that waiver be granted them to organize seminars/workshop in the State in line with their national mandate, as well as construction of signage for identification/direction as it is in other States and thanked the Hon. Commissioner and his team for their warm reception.
Present on the occasion were the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Dcons. Mrs. Catherine Ikeagwu, Dr. Innocent Nnamdi, the Secretary of the association and Zonal Chairmen of SETRAMPA from the three senatorial district of Imo State and Mrs Joy Ugorji the Principal Information Officer of the Ministry.
