A Don, Prof. Bukar Dauda, has advocated the promotion of synergy among native medicine practitioners, scientists and entrepreneurs to ensure vibrant pharmaceutical industry in Nigeria.
Dauda of the Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences (SPS) Federal University of Technology (FUT) Minna said in Minna when he delivered the 54th Inaugural lecture of the institution.
The Public Relations Officer of the University, Mrs Lydai Legbo, in her statement in Minna on Sunday, said the lecture was entitled, “Natural Product Chemistry and Prospects for Transforming Traditional Medicines into Modern Pharmaceuticals.”
She quoted the don as having observed that such promotion , if pursued in sustainable manner, would also make Nigeria’s pharmaceutical industry a large-scale foreign exchange earner for the country.
According to Dauda, Nigeria can rival China and India that have pursued deliberate policy of research and transformation of their traditional medicines into modern pharmaceuticals in views of its diverse,untapped flora.
Dauda, however, expressed concern over the vacuum in the regulation, assessment of safety, efficacy and quality control of the use of herbal medicines in West Africa.
He also noted that research into the properties of medicinal plants had not received adequate attention, a development he said left traditional medical practices in their undeveloped
forms.
The don called for the screening and development of the country’s
natural products to adequately address the problem to enhance national healthcare programmes .
According to him, the move will also usher the country into large scale production of pharmaceutical products.
He, however, expressed delight that natural product chemistry had contributed immensely to the structural elucidation of many compounds used in traditional medicines and aided the scientific study of nature and potentialities of the herbs.
Dauda expressed the hope that with improved quality and modernisation, the traditional medical system would be integrated into the mainstream of Nigeria’s medical system.
In his remarks, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Prof. Musbau Akanji, commended the inaugural lecturer for his contributions to scientific knowledge and thanked dignitaries for attending the occasion.