State to legalise herbalists in bid to boost healthcare system
The government is seeking to legalise herbalists (waganga) to boost Kenya’s healthcare system and preserve indigenous knowledge and genetic resources.
Health Chief Administrative Secretary Rashid Aman said the ministry is preparing a draft bill on traditional medicine.
Once it is passed, Dr Aman said, it will allow legal practice of traditional medicine, including midwifery.
“It will put in place a legal framework for traditional practitioners and how they will be regulated and trained properly to produce products that are compliant with international standards” said Dr Aman.
He spoke in Mombasa during an inter-ministerial conference on using indigenous knowledge and genetic resources.
The CAS said the bill was in the initial stages of being drafted.
“We are providing input but we shall soon be taking it out for stakeholder participation. It will pave the way for the very long journey on blending conventional with traditional medicines and draw the benefits,” he said.
“The main issue is how we regulate a field like this. It will have set the standards and compendium on how things are to be done. Based on that there will be some level of regulation, training of traditional practitioners on how to get materials, preserve, process and package them.”
The training will further ensure traditional healers have good manufacturing practices for product safety and a wider market.
Once the products are endorsed by a legal framework, he said, they will have a wider market.
“One of the areas the bill is addressing is about traditional midwives who deliver babies out there. But they will do it under a framework where they will have been properly trained, registered and licensed to conduct midwifery traditionally,” he added.
Sports and Culture Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohamed said the meeting was crucial as Kenya seeks to benefit from its indigenous knowledge and genetic resources for national development and prosperity.
“In 2016 we formulated laws regarding this issue. We are now trying to (put them to effect). It will help communities that want to preserve their heritage” she said.
Mr David Wata, a herbalist, lauded the government for finally 'recognising' traditional medicine, which plays a key role in improving healthcare especially in rural areas.
"I inherited my skill from my grandmother, who was a herbalist. In 2020, the National Museums of Kenya came to Siaya County and we gave them our products, which are under validation," Mr Wata said.
He urged herbalists to provide their products to NMK for validation, saying there is a huge market for them and the work offers employment opportunities.
However, Mr Wata, 34, warned Kenyans against confusing herbalists with spiritualists, urging the state to come up with a bill to separate the two.
“For instance, I ensure you go to the hospital for diagnosis, either with an X-ray or ultrasound, to know which medicine I will administer. After my treatment, you go back to the lab to ascertain whether you have been healed or not," said the father of three. BY DAILY NATION
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