Grant native doctors medical status, they ‘intercede’ with ancestors – Senator

By Tolulope Oke

Senator Garba Maidoki has called for native doctors to be formally recognised within Nigeria’s healthcare system, arguing that they treat some ailments modern medicine cannot and also “intercede” when ancestors communicate with people.

Maidoki, who represents Kebbi South, made the call on Tuesday during debate on a bill seeking to overhaul the country’s food and drug regulatory framework.

The bill, sponsored by Kwara North Senator Sadiq Suleiman Umar, seeks to repeal the Food, Drug and Related Products (Registration, Etc.) Act and the Food and Drug Act.

It proposes a unified legal framework for regulating food, medicines, vaccines, medical devices and other products affecting public health.

Supporting the bill, Maidoki said it failed to provide for traditional medicine despite its widespread use, particularly in rural communities.

“I rise to also support this motion ably sponsored by Senator Suleiman Sadiq. This motion, as my colleague said, is apt, is timely, and is in good faith to modernise the practice of food and drug registration in Nigeria,” he said.

“But Mr President, I want to bring to your attention that even though this is modernised, we have not seen anything on this bill concerning traditional medicine.

“Concerning traditional medicine, sir, most of our rural dwellers, most of them rely mostly on this traditional medicine.

“And I think it is high time that we have a law that also allows traditional medicine to be implemented.”

Maidoki argued that formally incorporating native doctors and indigenous remedies into the healthcare system would reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported medicines.

“Holistically, if this is done, we will also reduce the cost of importation of drugs from foreign nations, and we will rely mostly on our own indigenous herbs and medication by our own native doctors,” he said.

The lawmaker urged the bill’s sponsor, who is a pharmacist, to ensure that traditional medicine practitioners were included in the proposed regulatory framework.

“I think if this is done, the pharmacist Senator Suleiman will be able to incorporate these people and make this holistic,” he added.

Maidoki also disclosed that some senators resort to herbal medicine when conventional treatment fails to provide answers.

“Even some of us that are senators, sometimes we rely, we go to herbal medicine to help us with one ailment or the other, which sometimes the modern medicine has no answer,” he said.

“Like if your ancestors decide to talk to you, you need a native doctor to intercede on your behalf.”

His remarks sparked laughter in the Senate chamber, prompting a light-hearted response from Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

“Thank you, Distinguished Senator Garba. The native doctor will intercede between you and the ancestor,” Akpabio said.

“It’s actually baffling that this was part of the African religion, but when the white people came, they now told us that we don’t need our ancestors, but I think from what you are saying, you are still using your ancestors.”