THE 'Director of Pax Herbal Clinic and Research Laboratories, Fr. Anselm Adodo, has said that African medicine is moving towards clinical medicine, He said this at the 7th National congress of Pax health care providers, an association of all distributors, agents and scientists of the outfit. 

 

Speaking at the occasion, the Director-General of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency, Mr Sam Etatuvie, lauded the efforts and determination of Pax Herbals to open up new frontiers in herbal medicine research, and pledged that his agency will collaborate with the company in working out a model of clinical trials of its herbal products and other Nigerian herbal products in line with inter- national regulations. 

 

 Adodo said that the era of describing African traditional medicine as fetish and pagan has gone. He lamented that "while countries like China and India have already invaded the global herbal market like a colossus, Nigeria is still busy discussing whether herbal medicine is a good source of health care or not. While the annual global market for Herbal medicine is estimated to be over 100 billion dollars, Nigerian professionals are busy attending seminars to convince them of the efficacy of herbal medicine, while others are standing by the ringside complaining about charlatans". He enjoined all members of the scientific community to join hand together in developing African herbal medicine. 

 

 

Chief Medical Director of Irma specialist Teaching Hospital, Dr. S.A. Okogbenin, who was represented by Dr. Peter Akhinor, expressed delight that the outfit is not just an herbal medicine manufacturer but a full-blown research institute that is ready and willing to move towards clinical research and scientific verification of the claims of its herbal products. 

 

Dr. Peter Akhinor, Chairman of a committee set up the the Irra Specialist Teaching hospital to discuss clinical collaboration with Pax Herbals said that he was initially skeptical about the prospects of such a proposed partnership, but his doubts melted away after learning about the serious research initiatives of the company. 

 

He expressed satisfaction that the outfit is currently training over 38 science students from 5 Nigerian universities. 

 

The Edo state Commissioner of Health, Dr. (Mrs) Aihanuwa Eregie, who was represented by the Director of Pharmaceutical services at the Edo state Ministry of health, Dr. Godwin Okonofua, congratulated Pax on their achievement in changing the face of herbal medicine in Nigeria and Africa, and encouraged them to remain steadfast in their mission. 

 

Other speakers at the congress, which took place at Lumen Christi International High School, Uromi, in Edo State, are Rt. Rev. Dr. Gabriel G. Dunia, the 

Catholic Bishop of Uromi Diocese, Prof. Bernard Aigbokhan, Vice Chancellor of Samuel Adegboyega University, Ogwa, Prof. Jack Aigbodion, Deputy-Vice Chancellor (academics), Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Prof. (Mrs. E. Ohenen, Head of Microbiology Department, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Prof. MacDonald Idu of the Department of Phytomedicine, University of Benin and others. 

 

By Chibulke Unaichi

Daily Sun