Health
COVID-19: Senate mulls College of Traditional & Alternative Medicine
Still disturbed by the ravaging coronavirus pandemic in the country, the Senate has considered a bill seeking to give legislative backing for the establishment of the Federal College of Traditional, Complimentary and Alternate Medicine as an agency under the Federal Ministry of Health.
The bill, sponsored by Senator Ibrahim Oloriegbe (APC Kwara Central) and which scaled second reading during plenary, is meant to explore the option of traditional and alternative medicine “in light of our present day realities, especially the ongoing challenge of COVID-19 pandemic and the need to find cure for it from available local herbs and traditional medicine.”
“With this bill, the Federal College of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine will become a legal institution for the training and re-training of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine professionals in Nigeria and this would enable the implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional Medicine strategic plan 2014-2023,” he explained.
Senator Oloriegbe, while emphasizing that the college would boost the standard of practice of traditional, complimentary and alternative medicine in Nigeria, underscored its importance towards improving the coordination of evidence-based medicine in the field of Nigeria indigenous medicine.
“It will also update the extent of usage of Traditional Medicine in Nigeria and facilitate the implementation of National Policy on integrative medicine.
“The domestication of the training, (instead of spending huge resource to train people abroad) will prevent unnecessary wastage of hard earn foreign currency which could be put to other essential services. The College would also serve as training hub for West Africa Sub-Region”, the lawmaker added.
The bill after consideration was referred by the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, to the Committee in Tertiary Institution and TETFUND to report back in four weeks.
In a related development, A bill for an Act to amend the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority Act also scaled Second reading on the floor of the Senate.
Sponsored by Senator Albert Bassey Akpan (PDP Akwa Ibom North East), the bill, according to him, seeks to “stimulate economic development by means of reducing inflationary pressure and insulating the the national economy from volatility in the prices of non-renewable resources.”
The bill was referred by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan, to the Committee on Finance for further legislative input.
The Committee which is chaired by Senator Solomon Adeola (APC Lagos West) is expected to submit its report in four weeks.
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