DELTA STATE GOVERNMENT INAUGURATES TRADITIONAL MEDICINE BOARD

 The Delta State Government yesterday 17-08-2017, in Asaba inaugurated the Delta State Traditional Medicine Board with a call on members to regulate the practice of traditional medicine practitioners within the state. Those inaugurated are Chief Ogbogodor Ogumu, Chairman, Dr.Tav’s Abere, Chief Dr.Philips Oyekpe, Chief Ezekiel Agholimene as members. Others are Dr.Faith Odis, Dr. Godwin Nwaka and Dr.Thomaa Unuafe whiile Mr. Fidelis Ohwofosa will serve as Secretary.

 The Secretary to State Government, Hon Festus Agas, who inaugurated the Board expressed hope that the Board would bring sanity to the practice and safeguard the health and lives of Deltans. Hon. Agas also said that the government would expect the Board to propose and pilot the development of traditional herbs into preservable forms for easy prescription to patients. He noted that with the Board, the state could have a good statistics of attendance of traditional health clinics in the state including birth and death rates ,and pledged government’s assistance when necessary. Earlier, the state Health Commissioner, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, in his remark, urged members of the Board to take their job seriously to ensure that the practice of traditional medicine was regulated. He equally urged them to identify quacks and expunge them from the practice.

 The Chairman if the Board, Chief Ogumu on behalf of other members said the Board would continue to partner with the state ministry of health and other relevant agencies of government to achieve quality and affordable healthcare delivery in the state. Chief Ogumu said the Board had set up a task force to eradicate fake herbal drugs and quacks among the practitioners, adding that four herbal shops operating without license have been sealed while several herbal drug hawkers have been sesitized to update their official permit for the sale of their wares. He said the Board would establish a Botanical garden for herberl medicines in the state to promote tourist attraction among other things and solicited government’s assistance in other to achieve set goals.