COVID- 19: Reawakening Old Debate
IN recent times, several natural cures have shown promise in the prevention, treatment and management of not just the novel Coronavirus disease ( COVID- 19), but other arguably, more deadly viral infections like Ebola and smallpox.
But despite these breakthroughs, the World Health Organisation ( WHO), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control ( NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health ( FMOH), the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control ( NAFDAC), and other relevant agencies are still paying lip service towards the development and integration of traditional medicine practices, especially herbal medicine into the conventional health system.
Also, despite several studies that have demonstrated how Nigeria can make up to N240b ($ 1b) a month from the herbal medicine industry, if the government provides the enabling environment, the government’s inaction by not providing adequate funding has left plans to develop traditional medicine practices, especially herbal medicine in the cold.
Several attempts in the past by NAFDAC and the Nigeria Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development ( NIPRD) to verify herbal cure claims, after clinical trials were aborted due to lack of funds and the absence of political will.
The promise by the past administration to introduce herbal medicine into the curricula of medical schools has also not been matched with any circular to that effect.
The Guardian gathered that despite the establishment of relevant agencies, such as the Nigerian Natural Medicine Development Agency ( NNMDA) Lagos, the NIPRD Abuja, Nigerian Medicinal Plants Development Company ( NMPDC) Abuja, and some colleges of alternative and complementary medicine, the country has not made much progress in this area as most of these agencies do not receive enough funding to go into research and development of expected products. Funds received by the agencies are also said to be just enough to pay salaries.
In fact, the production of a herbal drug for sickle cell anaemia- NICOSAN, developed by NIPRD, which was celebrated even by the United States Food and Drug Administration ( FDA), was shut down due to poor funding and poor political will.
Indeed, despite the huge potential of traditional medicine, its capacity to generate income, boost primary healthcare ( PHC) services, and ensure Universal Health Coverage ( UHC), governments at all levels have continued to neglect the practice.
Little attempts made by the Federal Government to advance the practice, such as the development of the Traditional Medicine Policy for Nigeria 2007; the establishment of the NNMDA, and NIPRD have not been given adequate political will and funding.
To address this anomaly, a bill for an act to provide for the establishment of the Complementary and Alternative Medicine Commission passed third reading in the Seventh House of Representatives.
Also, a bill for an act to provide for the establishment of the Traditional Medicine Council of Nigeria passed third reading in the last National Assembly.
And as part of efforts to improve traditional medicine practice in the country, the Federal Government in 2006, formed the National Association of Natural and Traditional Medicine Practitioners ( NANTMP).
The President Olusegun Obasanjo- led Federal Government, through the then Minister of Health, Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, established the NANTMP on December 19, 2006.
Also, a Scientific Committee on Verification of Herbal Cure Claims set up by NAFDAC in 2013, identified 15 potential herbal drugs, but there were no funds to continue with the development.
Earlier in 2012, NAFDAC blazed the trail in traditional medicine development with the constitution of the Expert Committee on Verification of Cure claims by herbal products. The committee was set up to develop guidelines on clinical trials of herbal medicinal products to be able to upgrade them to full registration status.
In 2013, the country began an investigation into alleged herbal cures for the Human Immuno- deficiency Virus ( HIV)/ Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome ( AIDS), cancer, malaria, asthma, diabetes and contraceptives, with the first meeting of the Scientific Committee on Verification of Herbal Cure Claims with stakeholders taking place in Lagos.
Unfortunately, due to paucity of funds, the Committee was abandoned. All these notwithstanding, experts believe that the country could develop herbal cures for COVID- 19, HIV, cancer, malaria, asthma, diabetes and contraceptives with effective collaboration among the stakeholders.
They argue that if Nigeria can develop NICOSAN, which is accepted worldwide, the country can do it again by finding herbal cures for COVID- 19, and other ailments and diseases.
Interestingly, the noise over the Madagascar’s COVIDOrganic, which President Muhammadu Buhari, penultimate week received samples of has, yet again, reignited the country’s interest in herbal medicine, even as almost all health workers in the country including, the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria ( PSN), National Association of Resident Doctors ( NARD), the Nigerian Medical Association ( NMA), National Association of Hospitals and Administrative Pharmacists of Nigeria ( AHAPN), Joint Health Sector Union of Nigeria ( JOHESU) among others condemned the government’s position. They criticised the neglect of cure claims by erudite scientists in the country for a product from a foreign and less endowed country.
In recent times several Nigerian scientists of repute, institutes and universities have put forward homegrown solutions and cures for COVID- 19. Top on the list are Prof. Maurice Iwu, a pharmacognocist and President, Bioresources Development Group ( BDG); Prof. Jeremiah Abalaka; Prof. Olukemi Odukoya, a pharmacognocist from the University of Lagos, a team of researchers from the University of Ibadan, as well as Dr. Paul Ojeih, of Iris Medical Foundation; among others.
Internationally, the World Health Organisation ( WHO) recently broke its silence on the array of scientifically based herbal cure claims for COVID- 19.
The United Nations’ body said that medicinal plants such as Artemisia annua were being considered as possible treatments for COVID- 19 and should be tested for efficacy and adverse side effects.
“Africans deserve to use medicines tested to the same standards as people in the rest of the world. Even if therapies are derived from traditional practice and natural resources, establishing their efficacy and safety through rigorous clinical trials is critical,” it noted.
The WHO also added in a statement: “As efforts are underway to find treatment for COVID- 19, caution must be taken against misinformation, especially on social media, about the effectiveness of certain remedies. Many plants and substances are being proposed without the minimum requirements and evidence of quality, safety and efficacy. The use of products to treat COVID- 19, which have not been robustly investigated can put people in danger, giving a false sense of security and distracting them from hand washing and physical distancing, which are cardinal in COVID- 19 prevention, and may also increase self- medication and the risk to patient safety.” The WHO said it welcomes innovations around the world including repurposing drugs, traditional medicines and developing new therapies in the search for potential treatments for the novel coronavirus, adding that it recognises that traditional, complementary and alternative medicine have many benefits and Africa has a long history of traditional medicine and practitioners that play an important role in providing care to popula