Kwara State Advances Regulation of Traditional Medicine for Enhanced Healthcare

Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, CON, has been urged by the Kwara State House of Assembly to direct the Ministry of Health to regulate traditional medicine practices in the state. This call was made during a plenary session following a motion titled “Need to Enforce Regulation of the Activities of Traditional Medicine Practitioners in Line with the Kwara State Traditional Medicine and Registration Law 2006,” sponsored by Oba Abdulkadir Magaji, the House Leader representing Ilorin Central.

Oba Magaji emphasized that regulating traditional medicine practitioners will ensure their compliance with the provisions of the 2006 law, thereby improving the quality and safety of traditional medical practices in the state. He expressed concern over the current abuse of the law, which poses health risks to citizens.

The Speaker, Engineer Yakubu Danladi Salihu, read the resolutions, urging the State Commissioner for Health to implement regular training and sensitization programs for traditional medicine practitioners. This initiative aims to ensure practitioners operate within the legal framework, enhancing public health safety.

In their debates, co-sponsors advised Nigerians, especially Kwarans, to patronize only traditional medicines approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). The Speaker also called for strict prosecution of any practitioner found violating the law, underscoring the government’s commitment to protecting public health.