The Minister of State for Health, Dr. Olorunnimbe Mamora, said 58 herbal practitioners have so far made submissions on claims for COVID-19 cure.
He made this known on Monday in Abuja during the inauguration of a committee to develop protocols for the evaluation of herbal medicines claims for COVID-19 and other diseases.
The minister said the ministry had earlier met with traditional medicine practitioners and identified claimants of remedies for the management of COVID-19.
He said: “It is our desire to support these claimants in the process of evaluating these products with a view to finding a local solution to the menace of COVID-19 and other common ailments.
“This informed the need to constitute a standing expert committee to screen these claims to identify those products that could be recommended for further evaluation with the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and their necessary clinical trials.”
One of the herbal practitioners at the forefront of research for COVID-19, Dr Robert Uzu, said he has submitted his remedy to NAFDAC for verification.
He said the potentials of herbal medicine were neglected for years in the country, calling for awareness creation among the populace on the benefits of herbal drugs.
Uzu said the inclusion of traditional medicine practitioners in COVID-19 committees would alleviate the challenges faced by herbal practitioners, and also proffer solutions for the health care needs of the country.
