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The Nigerian National Mirror Committee on African Traditional Medicines has developed draft standards on eleven medicinal plants for further consideration and review by member countries of the African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO).
The drafts standards were concluded at the 6th meeting of the committee held at the Pax Herbal Clinic and Monastery, Ewu-Esan in Edo State.
Declaring the meeting opened, Osita Aboloma, director general, said the National Mirror and Technical Committee was targeted at articulating Nigeria’s contribution to the development of African Regional Standards in traditional medicines.
Represented by Dauda Yakubu, head of international standards, Aboloma said Nigeria, through the committee, had been participating in the African Organisation for Standardisation Technical Harmonisation Committee 13 (ARSO THC13) on African Traditional Medicines meetings since 3rd August, 2015.
The country’s participation, according to him, had contributed to the publishing of 11 ARSO Standards on African Traditional Medicine, 10 of which have been adopted for use in Nigeria.
These include good manufacturing practice for herbal medicines; guidelines on good agricultural and collection practices; minimum requirements for registration of traditional medicines; certification scheme for medicinal plant produce; and safety, efficacy and quality of raw materials and herbal medicines among others.
He commended the committee for the achievement and urged them to bring their individual and collective knowledge and experience to bear in the deliberations on another set of eleven medicinal plants. These include Baobab, Bitter Almond, Zobo, Efirin; Cashew Leaves; Cashew Seeds/Nut; Cashew Apple; African Bush Mango-Ogbono; Bitter leaf; Bitter Kola and Zogale.
The output from the committee’s standardisation work, according to him, would guarantee the quality, safety and health of Africans and other economies using the products as well as the competitiveness in regional and international trade.
Aboloma acknowledged the support of Pax Herbal Clinic & Research Laboratories, Benedictine Monastery and the people of Edo State in hosting the 6th meeting of the National Mirror Committee.
Participants at the meeting included governmental agencies such as NAFDAC, Raw Materials, Research and Development Council (RMRDC), Nigeria Medical Association, Natural Medicine Promotion Agency (NMPA); Veterinary Council of Nigeria and tertiary institutions.
Others were Moringa Development Agency of Nigeria (MDAN); National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP); African Association for Medical Plant, Conservation, Exhibition and Exportation (AAMPCEE); Bio-Resources Development Group (BDG) and Pax Herbal Clinic and Monastery with the Standards Organisation of Nigeria providing the secretariat.
ODINAKA ANUDU
