New Edo Traditional Medicines Agency, Is Rising As A New Edo Rises -Ugbesia
By: Oriaifoh Godwins
The Chairman, Board of Governors of Edo state Traditional Medicines Board, High Chief Dr. Abudu Ugbesia, JP, has reiterated that, as a new Edo state is rising, a new Edo Traditional Medicines Board that is poised at restructuring and regulating traditional medicine practice in the State, is also rising, saying; "...we have fully keyed into Governor Monday Okpebholo mantra, that a new Edo state is rising".
Chief Ugbesia made this revelation, in a chat with a team of Journalists in his office, in Benin, on Wednesday, 5th March 2025.
Speaking, the Chairman, Edo state Traditional Medicines Board, who emphasised on the urgent need to eliminate quackery, uphold high ethical standards, and also promote the benefits of traditional medicines to complement the efforts of the orthodox medical practices, also condemned the claim in some quarters that, traditional medicines lacks safety and efficacy.
High Chief Ugbesia emphasised that the beauty of medicines, is the restoration of the sick back to good health, pointed out that, traditional medicines are natural and knowledge-driven practice that requires expertise to be effective, saying; “I have come to restructure traditional medicine practice in Edo State. I want people to know there is power in nature.
“...i will not deny the fact that, quarks and fraudsters exist in Tradomedical practices, just as we also have them in the orthodox medical practices and in other professions, just as I am aware that some so-called traditional doctors collaborate with pastors to engage in harmful acts like ritual killings, but I must make it abundantly clear that, that is evil, as human life is precious...these and others are the misconceptions that discredits indigenous healthcare systems that we will definitely straighten out, God helping us".
Continuing, Chief Ugbesia who also argued that conventional medical practitioners often refuse to acknowledge the benefits of traditional medicines pointed out that, there are medical conditions that modern doctors can do that traditional healers cannot, and vice versa, hence the need for collaboration, as some deaths that are recorded in orthodox hospitals, are needless, if the collaboration with the requisite traditional medical practitioners is present.
Chief Ugbesia concluded by revealing that, Edo State Traditional Medicine Board plans to register and profile all practitioners across the State, and that, registration forms would be made available across the three senatorial districts for those willing to undergo training and accreditation, as this will go a long way in regulating the sector.