By Oluwatosin Maliki
Mr. Babatunde Adele, the registrar of the Lagos State Traditional Board, emphasized that traditional medicine is a foundation for fostering sustainable development and universal health coverage.
In commemoration of the 2023 African Traditional Medicine Day in Lagos State, a press conference was organized by the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board (LSTMB) on Thursday. Adele expressed that “about 80 percent of Africans depend on traditional medicine for their basic health needs.”
He further stated that the remarkable contribution of traditional medicine as a major provider of healthcare services in Africa and Nigeria at large cannot be underrated.
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Adele also noted that the Lagos State government is in the process of integrating an enviable model of traditional medicine that will fuse both traditional and modern medicine, known as “trado-modern” medicine, especially at the primary healthcare level, to bridge the gap in the healthcare system.
He disclosed that the rate of infant and maternal mortality from traditional medicine has drastically reduced due to routine training and restraint by LSTMB.
He revealed, “We are now at a point in our onerous journey to achieving parity and recognition accorded to conventional healthcare practitioners and products. As such, all hands must be on deck,” adding that “Lagos State remains a state to be reckoned with among other states in the area of traditional medicine practice.”
