From Austin Ajayi, Yola.

The National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) has trained over 80 traditional herbal medicine practitioners on Phytomedicine in Yola.

The Director General of NIPRD, Dr. Obi Adigwe in his presentation said government stand to earn a lot of foreign exchange from traditional medicine, with proper documentation of the process of developing herbal medicine through research from the products gotten from the locals.

The training was tagged “Harnessing Indigenous Phytomedicine from Traditional Knowledge, Developing High Quality, Safe and Effective Products for Economic Empowerment”.

The DG said the practitioners can earn a lot of money through their products that will be further developed to meet international standard by the NIPRD.

He urged them to form good partnership with the state government for quick and effective research and analysis of their products.

Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, Dr. Amos Ujulu, Executive Secretary of Adamawa State Health Insurance Scheme said the Adamawa state government will ensure and encourage traditional herbal medicine practitioners to develop their products, stressing that both the practitioners and the state will generate a lot of resources from Phytomedicine noting that the state is blessed with a lot of Traditional medicine.

State chairman of Traditional medicine practitioners Alhaji Saidu Garba who spoke with our reporter said they are happy with this development because now they are getting recognition.

“I hope the government will also protect our right and royalty will be given when we summit our products for further development,” he said.