By Salisu Baso
The National Association of Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NATMP), Kano State Council, has called on the state governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to ensure full operation of the newly established herbal market at Tudun Murtala.
The state chairman of the association, Alhaji Nisa’i MahmudaYakasai made the call in an interview with The Triumph as part of celebration to mark this year’s World Herbal Day in Kano recently.
He commended the state governor for his concerns to their development, adding that the herbal market would improve the existing relationship among the practitioners as well as improve the quality and standard of traditional medicine in the country.
Yakasai said the traditional medicine practitioners in the country were improving the standard and quality of their products to compete with the Chinese, India and Egyptian traditional medicines, saying that the association was doing its best towards uniting its members to contribute their quota towards healthcare services.
He commended the national youth leader of APC, Hon. Nasiru Adahama for organizing a round table discussion with the Chinese and Indian traditional medicine practitioners to share ideas on ways to improve and package the medicine.
The chairman added that their members in the state have improved the quality and standard of their products to capsule, tablets as well as liquids. He said they have also invented various medications of typhoid, malaria, sugar and many more.
He said the association currently was uniting all the practitioners across the country to promote their business, adding that the association has registered with NAFDAC to ensure that all the medicines produced in the country could compete favourably with others in the countries of the world.
Alhaji Yakasai further said members of the association have so far started establishing traditional medicine health centers, laboratories as well as packaging companies.
He assured of the association’s support and cooperation to the government in providing health care delivery to the teeming populace in the country.
He therefore said the association has taken adequate measures to flush out unpatriotic practioners, particularly those using vulgar languages with loudspeakers. He added that a taskforce committee has been set up to arrest and prosecute those found wanting at the nooks and corners of the state.