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By Madu Obi
The Anambra State government has announced the ban on the advertisement of herbal medicine across the state.
Commissioner for Information, Mr. Paul Nwosu said in Awka that government had directed that all advertisements for herbal drugs must be approved by the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on Herbal Medicine and Pharmceuticals before they could be displayed in any public space or media platforms.
It was, however, not clear if those who hawk various types of concoctions, especially on the streets and at the motor parks, are included in the ban.
Herbal medicine practitioners have become ubiquitous in Anambra and other states in the South East because of the high cost of orthodox medicine as they target the poor people with sweet tongue adverts.
They also have unlimited access to radio stations where they speak and use jingles to attract customers.
Many of them, in collaboration with even government officials, organize herbal exhibitions in many cities as revenue yielding venture and move from one market to the other with products they claim could cure many ailments.
It is also common to find them in rented shops where they mount loudspeakers that cause noise pollution.
Some people who spoke on the issue welcomed the ban, stating that the herbal medicine practitioners have caused so much harm in the society.
A pharmacist, Francis Amadike lamented that in spite of warnings by medical practitioners, many people, out of ignorance, still patronize the herbal vendors.
According to him, the active ingredients in these herbs are often not determined, which is why they cause health complications to those who patronize them.
He said that over the years, there had been attempts to scrutinize these products with a view to making them part of the health care system, but the practitioners resisted such moves.
Amadike commended the Anambra State government for taking the bold step of banning the advertisement of herbal medicine, adding that it would help to save the gullible members of the society who are easily enticed by the words of the practitioners.
Another respondent, Mrs Martina Nwokolo, however, argued that many people have more confidence in the herbal medicine because of the circulation of so many fake drugs in the country.
She said that the only problem of the herbal medicine is knowing the quantity to take.
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