High Chief Abudu Ugbesia, Chairman of the Edo State Traditional Medicine Board, has affirmed that his dream is to take the state to a level where it will rival countries like China and India in traditional medicine practice.
He disclosed that a recent stakeholders meeting of the traditional medicine board held in the Edo State Government House, Benin City, which had in attendance some notable personalities like the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole is a forerunner to that dream.
“The programme was meant to highlight the importance of the usage of roots and herbs. We invited Professor Izibili and High Chief Christopher Igene to give lectures on how our forefathers have been living well before the advent of medical doctors and the importance of herbs and how we, the traditional medicine practitioners, should take it serious and do more research on it so that many ailments that cannot be cured by medical doctors will now be referred to us.
“The Edo State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole was also in attendance. He sat with us throughout the occasion giving us some form of enlightenment on the importance of traditional medicine. Traditional medicine is a thing everybody needs to fall back on because it’s natural. It’s not mixed with any chemical.
“Take a look at China, India and some other countries you will understand the importance of herbs. You will find their drugs all over the world and they’re living with it. That’s the way I want Edo State to be. If you take a look you will see that in Nigeria Lagos State gives recognition to traditional medicine. That’s what I want Edo State to emulate,” he stated.
Going further, he stressed: “We’re improving with recent development and we are creating awareness for traditional doctors that they should value what they have because they take care of lives. When there’s life there would be hope. He who have life have everything.”
He expressed happiness with the large turn out of traditional doctors at the event “they participated actively in the activities showing that they value what they have.”
