Minister of Health Inaugurates 4 strategic Ministerial Committees

[FMHNigeria]

The Minister of Health, Prof.C.O.Onyebuchi Chukwu has inaugurated four strategic Ministerial Committees in Abuja today to address vital components of Nigeria's health system.

[/size][/size]The Minister explained that at the conclusion of the committees assignments will help to strengthen the nation's healthcare delivery system and thus improve the health indices.

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The Committees inaugurated include:

i. Committee on Curriculum Development for the Training of Herbal Medical Practitioners at the Medical School,

ii. Committee on Herbal Products Promotion and Export,

iii. Committee on National Prescription Policy, and

iv. Committee on Education and Training of Paramedics for Nigeria Healthcare System.



[/size]He said that the two Committees on Herbal Medicine have become necessary as a result of the increasing demand for herbal medicines worldwide and the need to achieve the objectives and goals of the Traditional Medicine Policy (2007).

He stressed that herbal medicine is the main component of the traditional system of medicine which has contributed significantly to human health adding that despite the rapid expansion and development of conventional medicine, a large number of Nigerians still utilize herbal medicine.

He noted that Nigerians are continually being exposed to potential hazards of unguarded and unguided use of some herbal remedies with no empirical evidence of their efficacy and safety stressing that it has become necessary that government put in place, mechanisms that will ensure that the citizenry derive benefits from those herbs which have proven efficacious, both in their use for health care and as a source of wealth generation and job creation.

Prof.Chukwu said that the Committee on Nigerian Prescription Policy is also aimed at realizing one of the objectives of the National Drug Policy (2005)-''to promote the rational use of drugs by prescribers, dispensers and consumers''. He pointed out that the accessibility of Nigerians to orthodox medicines in terms of who prescribes and dispenses medicines is a critical aspect of our health system which has attracted the attention of government.

He stressed that the committee is expected to examine holistically the current prescription system of the various categories of drugs deployed in the healthcare delivery system and produce a document that will ensure better treatment outcomes resulting from rational drug prescription.

He said that the Committee on Education and Training of Paramedics for Nigeria Healthcare System will critically examine the institutionalization of paramedics in the Nation's healthcare delivery system adding that Medical Doctors and other health professionals will never be enough to handle all medical emergencies within and outside hospitals.

He charged every Federal Health Institution to establish a paramedic team that is well trained and should put all tools in place for efficient and effective emergency.

The Committee terms of reference among others include to define the role of the Paramedics in the Nigerian Healthcare Delivery System, to determine the prerequisite of candidates for training as Paramedics and to determine the eligibility requirements for institutions that will provide the training.

While assuring the various Committees of the Ministry's support, he challenged the Committees to complete their assignments within the stipulated time ranging between four weeks and ten weeks so that the Ministry will be able to implement their decisions immediately.

In his acceptance speech, Prof.K .S.Gamaliel, Director General, National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) who is the Chairman of the Committee on Herbal Products Promotion and Export spoke on behalf of all the Committees, assured that they will work within the terms of reference to uplift herbal medicine in Nigeria promising that they will work hard to complete the task within the time provided.

Via: Federal Ministry of Health (FMH) Nigeria