The Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA) plans to embark on a crackdown of unregistered herbalists.The move follows mounting concern over increased dealers in various types of herbal medicines whose efficacy have not been clinically proved.
TDFA Director of Medicines and Cosmetics, Mtangu Fimbo, told the ‘Daily News’ that the crackdown would involve ‘concoctions’ packed in tins and bottles.”We have planned a nationwide crackdown that will leave no stone unturned,” he said.
TFDA recently warned against the use of baobab oil, cautioning that it contains substances which are carcinogenic.
Mr Fimbo said the Authority was working closely with the Traditional and Alternative Medicines Council (TAMC) to monitor the situation on the ground although basically the two have different functions.
A survey conducted by the ‘Daily News’ noticed that pavilions selling traditional medicines pulled big crowds during the 37th Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (DITF).
Most of the dealers did not have herbs endorsed by TFDA.Many tins, however, were labelled to have been registered with the Government Chemist’s Office.
Some of the pavilions were equipped with machines capable of scanning bodies and detect diseases.
One patient was left in disbelief as he was asked to dish out over 100,000/- after the ‘SCAN’ machines had discovered he was suffering from five different diseases and therefore needed five different doses.
“If you cannot afford to pay for all the medicines, you can simply pay whatever you have for today and take other medicines later when you are ready,” a nurse had told him.
But Mr Fimbo admitted that the task awaiting his authority was not as simple as one might think, since the traditional healers are scattered across the country.
By PIUS RUGONZIBWA, Tanzania Daily News
