President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the Nigerian government will only accept any herbal or traditional formulation after it has passed through the statutory regulators for thorough scientific verification.
Emerald News reports that Buhari made the disclosure in tweet on Saturday. The president’s explanations may not be unconnected to the argument following the herbal or traditional coronavirus cure drug developed by Madagascar and being debated on by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
In the tweet, President Buhari added that the Nigerian government will not put anything to use in the country without the endorsement of the nation’s regulatory institutions.
The tweet reads thus: “My position regarding all herbal or traditional medicines is that any such formulations should be sent to the statutory regulators for thorough scientific verification. We will not put anything to use in Nigeria without the endorsement of our regulatory institutions.”
The Madagascar coronavirus cure has been generating controversies around the world with the World Health Organisation saying it is blind faith and tactically rejecting the drug. But the Madagascar president views the rejection on the fact that the drug is coming from an Africa nation.
His belief is that if the drug had come from any of the European or American countries, the WHO would not have rejected the drug for whatever reasons. He alleged that the WHO has been bribed to poison the drug and tag it unfit for the cure of the deadly virus.
Following the refusal of the WHO to endorse the drug on the allegation that it is coming from an African country, the president has decided to pull out of the World Health Organisation and urged other African countries to do same and save the image of Africans in the sight of international community.
Though President has not rejected the drug for use in Nigeria, he is insisting that the Madagascar drug must pass through the drug regulatory agency for verification. The Nigerian drug regulatory agency is the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The onus lies on NAFDAC to scientifically prove that the drug is fit for use in Nigeria.
