The Health Minister, Isaac Adewole, has challenged the Nigerian Institute of Pharmaceutical Research and Development and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control to cooperate with other stakeholders in developing herbal drugs in a more organised manner. His major point that Nigeria is losing so much by importing drugs that can be produced locally should be taken seriously. The need to expand the nation’s economic base and promote non-oil exports should compel government agencies and the pharmaceutical industry to act expeditiously on this latent sector that is fast becoming a new window for economic growth globally.
The global herbal market is forecast to reach $107 billion by the year 2017. The growth is said to be spurred by a growing ageing population, widespread acceptance of functional foods and rise in consumer confidence to include herbs in preventive health and alternative medicine regimens. Herbal medicine, also called botanical medicine or phytomedicine, according to the American Botanical Council, refers to using a plant’s seeds, berries, roots, leaves, bark, or flowers for medicinal purposes. Also known as complementary and alternative medicine, herbs are classified as drugs and are regulated in some countries in Europe, especially in Germany, where an expert medical panel, actively researches their safety and effectiveness.
Before the introduction of orthodox medicine, Nigerians relied mainly on local herbal medicines. The minister, who said that billions of “hard-earned” money was being used to import mosquito nets and other drugs that could be produced locally, called for a more effective regulation of the sector. “I saw a challenge with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria. I believe that many of the key products that we use in this country can be labelled as medical devices, including the Long-Lasting Insecticide Treated Net. In addition to this, we should also invest in local products,” Adewole said.
But words are cheap. It is surprising that our government is just waking up to the health benefits and economic advantages herbal medicine offers. About three-quarters of the world’s population currently use herbs and other forms of traditional medicines to treat disease, according to the World Health Organisation. In the United States and Europe, herbal medicines represent a major share of the pharmaceutical market and are included in the regular medical practice. But here, many research results on our abundant tropical herbs remain mere academic papers. Just recently, a group of research scientists had come out with the news of a groundbreaking study that may lead to the discovery of a drug for cancer cure. The team, led by Marte Hussaini, a professor of pharmacology at the University of Maiduguri, identified eight local herbs or plants that are more efficacious than the drugs currently being used in the treatment of cancer.
Sadly, many research results in Nigeria lack industry-linkages, a matter that easily renders them irrelevant or immaterial. But while other countries, especially China and India, have substantially integrated herbal medicine into their health care delivery system, Nigeria’s herbal medicine market remains largely unregulated and unorganised. Though herbal medicine has a long tradition of use outside conventional medicine, it is becoming more mainstream as improvements in analysis and quality control, along with advances in clinical research, show its value in treating and preventing diseases. In 2014, WHO passed a resolution on the integration of traditional medicine into the global health care delivery system. The organisation sees this as a veritable strategy for building a knowledge base that could enhance policies, strengthen quality assurance, safety and use of traditional medicine.
For Nigeria, there are still many loose ends to be tied. Globally, there are reports of some herbal products that contain harmful components and microorganisms. In the US and Europe, the market is highly regulated and extremely difficult to enter, as companies need to pass through rigorous tests before mass production. In countries such as France, Germany, the UK and India, herbal supplements alongside pharmaceuticals, are sold in drugstores. NAFDAC and other relevant agencies should step up their regulatory mechanisms to make Nigeria’s herbal products meet good manufacturing practices and global standards. Supplier innovation will play a major role.
The Health Minister still has time to promote herbal medicine with doable reforms. He should take more than a passing interest in the development of the sector by initiating a strong linkage between research institutions and entrepreneurs. He should work to persuade the Federal Government to substantially increase herbal research funding.
