— Imo State Chairman, John Nwaike
The Imo State Chairman of National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP), Hon Chief John Amarachi Nwaike has categorically, dissociated the association from fake and unlicensed individuals claiming to be genuine traditional medicine practitioners in the state.
According to Chief John Nwaike, the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners is an affiliate of the federal ministry of health, operating strictly under the supervision and guidance of the health ministry as umbrella body of genuine, qualified and licensed traditional medicine practitioners across all states of the Nigerian federation.
In an interview with news men in Owerri, Chief Nwaike made it clear that the association does not and would never condone acts of illegality in whatever form any where in Imo state.
He explained that in the same vein, the Imo state chapter of NATMP operates under the guidance of Imo state ministry of health and in line with the laws of Imo state government.
He stressed that whereas traditional medicine practice plays complimentary role to modern medicine practice, it would be wrong for unlicensed individuals to flood the system with fake medicine that could be dangerous to the health of unsuspecting members of the public.
The Imo state NANTMP chairman disclosed that following a motion by the Imo State House of Assembly, urging NANTMP to work hand-in-glove with the ministry of health in order to flush out quacks from practice, the association has in conjunction with the health ministry, set up a taskforce to identify and apprehend unlicensed and unqualified practitioners with a view to handing them over to law enforcement agencies.
He therefore, cautioned all unlicensed qualified traditional medicine practitioners to come forward at the association’s Egbu Road office in Owerri for registration.
” We are hell-bent on sanitizing traditional medicine in Imo state in line with the laws of the government of Imo state. This is why any one or group caught practicing without genuine license issued by Imo state government through the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners, Imo state chapter, would be made to face the full weight of the law as a deterrent to others”, Chief Nwaike cautioned
