A researcher with the Federal Character Commission, Dr. Noah Olasehinde has called on the federal government to formalize and regulate herbal medicine practice in Nigeria without further delay.

 

He also enjoined the authorities to deregulate health insurance services by extending it to non orthodox healthcare givers notably the traditional healers, patent medicine vendors and faith centres run by churches and mosques.

 

Dr. Olasehinde made the call in Ibadan while delivering a lecture entitled “Healthcare Seeking Behaviour of Nigerians” on the platform of the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER) monthly research seminar series.

 

 

The researcher urged the Pharmaceutical Council of Nigeria to beef up efforts in the regulation and training of the patent medicine vendors across the nation.

 

Dr. Olasehinde remarked that research has revealed that individuals in Nigeria have the tendency to consult traditional, patent medicine vendors and the faith centres ahead of healthcare professionals as a result of age while only those living in urban centres prefer healthcare professionals than their counterparts in rural locations.

 

By Dele Ogunyemi

Daily Trust