The United Nations Federation of International ASTRO (UNFIA) has announced comprehensive interventions aimed at supporting members of the National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTMP).
The UNFIA Africa Coordinator, Professor Olumuyiwa Babalola, revealed that the global organisation plans to empower no fewer than 75,500 members of the group across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. Beneficiaries will be drawn from states including Oyo, Kano, and others.
Professor Babalola explained that the empowerment initiative includes providing incubator mechanisms for the production and packaging of traditional medicines. It will also extend to Traditional Birth Attendants (TBAs) and grant access for sustainability.
“Traditional birth attendants (TBAs) form an integral part of the social, cultural, and religious fabric in most rural communities in Nigeria,” Babalola said.
He added: “The objectives of the ongoing programme are to empower TBAs and assess the use of a culturally adapted audio-visual workshop intervention to improve their knowledge, attitude, and willingness to promote immunisation uptake. The programme will also focus on the incubation processes involved in the production and packaging of herbal medicines.”
UNFIA has also expressed its commitment to establishing the UNFIA African Traditional Medicine Practitioners’ Centre in Nigeria. This was disclosed during a conference organised by the South-West chapter of NANTMP in conjunction with UNFIA in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
At the conference, UNFIA pledged to collaborate with Nigerian authorities to develop guidelines, standards, and protections for traditional medicine practices. “We will advocate for the inclusion of traditional medicine in public health programmes, national insurance plans, and community health initiatives,” the organisation stated.
Additionally, UNFIA reaffirmed its dedication to protecting the intellectual property rights of traditional practitioners and indigenous communities to ensure their knowledge is preserved and respected, not exploited. By advocating for robust policies, UNFIA aims to create a sustainable framework for the growth and integration of traditional medicine in Nigeria.
