The government has set aside 800m/- during this financial year for construction of a traditional medicine laboratory and purchase of machinery and equipment for mass production of the medications.
The National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR) Principal Research Scientist, Prof Julius Massaga, said the government was supporting NIMR in promoting traditional medicine. “The government is building a modern laboratory and a production plant at Mabibo area in Dar es Salaam.
The facilities will be used for research and production of traditional medicines,” he said. He listed traditional medicine produced by NIMR as hepacure for treatment of liver, warburgistat for cure of various opportunistic diseases and persican for diabetics and persivin which is used by people with prostate conditions.
He said scientific research was still being conducted on traditional medicine and the focus is to ensure that the drugs were safe and administered in acceptable doses. Prof Massaga said NIMR would prepare a draft with enough facts for registration of traditional medicines for human consumption.
“The research will also help us identify the best way to package the traditional medicines to preserve and protect quality,” he explained. Prof Massaga, however, noted that there were a number of challenges in promoting traditional medicines including lack of public awareness to cultivate and produce traditional herbs.
He said professionals in the medical field do not have the opportunity to learn more on traditional medicines. The relation between traditional and convention medicine is poor.
NIMR Principal Research Scientist and Head of Department of Traditional Medicine Research, Dr Hamisi Malebo cautioned the public against reckless buying of traditional medicine in the streets.
Dr Malebo said many of those claiming to be selling traditional medicines, actually sell saw dust to the public, since many people cannot tell the difference. “The public should be careful, when they buy herbs because some crooked people offer different coloured saw dust and sell it to unsuspecting customers,” he explained.
By ROSE ATHUMANI, Tanzania Daily News
