Walter Wilson Nana
Buea, Cameroon.
Dr. Richard Fru, Tradi-Practitioner and CEO of Garden of Eden Naturopathic Institute of West Africa, GENIWA, Buea, Southwest Region of Cameroon has said the African Traditional Medicine Day, August 31 was set aside by WHO and the AU for the world to understand the importance of African traditional medicine. Dr. Fru was fielding questions from the press men and women during a press conference he convened at the premises of GENIWA, Saturday, August 31 2013, being part of activities to mark the 11th African Traditional Medicine Day, ATMD.
According to Dr. Fru, Ministers of Health adopted the resolution on the commemoration of ATMD on August 31 2000 at their 50th session of WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. He will cite from WHO records that an estimated 80 percent of Africans depend on traditional medicine for their health concerns.
Dr. Richard Fru at the press conference
He told journalists that WHO advocates for the promotion of traditional African medicine, using all the necessary media outlets, while expressing disgust on the conspiracy battle against traditional African medicine by those in conventional pharmaceutical laboratories.
To him, conventional medicine is made out of African traditional medicine but the Doctor of Naturopathy questioned why the promoters of the former are interested to destroy the latter.
He said African traditional medicine is guided by WHO, in which Cameroon is a signatory, “hence, myself and other organised members in the corps expect support and collaboration from Cameroon’s Health Ministry but it is not the situation on the ground. We are rather snubbed and banned from the airwaves. Individuals in government circles are doing that for selfish motives because they have an interest to protect from conventional medicine and so they are fighting against us,” Dr. Fru added.
On why he has consistently taken a solo campaign to ensure that traditional African medicine is put at the forefront in Cameroon, Dr. Fru said there is a problem of poor mentality within members of the corps and so he is avoiding conflicts with individuals, “however, we do cooperate with those who understand what we are doing and what we are out to achieve. Traditional medicine is the truth, it is viewed different from conventional medicine, it concentrates on the health of an individual, it is holistic medicine and revives the immune system,” he explained.
Journalists take down new developments on African traditional medicine
He quoted Dr. Louis Samba, WHO Regional Director during the maiden celebration of ATMD in 2003, who said; “Traditional medicine is our heritage, our culture, our way of life, our pride and our future.”
After the 2009 celebrations of the ATMD on the theme; Traditional Medicine & Patient Safety, the AU programmed the first decade of the African Traditional Medicine from 2001 – 2010. “This was to facilitate early compilation of a consolidated, comprehensive and accurate end-of-decade report,” Dr Fru noted.
A plan of action and implementation mechanism for the decade was adopted by the AU conference of Health Ministers and endorsed by the 2003 Maputo African Union Summit of Heads of State and Government with the objective to accelerate the recognition, acceptance, development, integration and institutionalisation of traditional medicine by member states into their Public Health Care System by 2010.
As an African, David Mbua Evelle, Journalist, CRTV Mount Cameroon FM, Buea conceded with African traditional medicine while expressing glee with the increasing recognition. However, he will question why many Africans do not realise the potency and importance of African traditional medicine. “I expect many tradi-practitioners to come out on August 31 and make known what they are doing and not the solo move by Dr. Fru. The other members should give it a big following and give their drugs a standard.”
Mercy Biang of Eden Radio, Limbe said the healing and relief content of traditional medicine cannot be ignored, adding the conspiracy battle between African traditional medicine and conventional medicine is uncalled for. “The central issue is to make mankind healthy and so both parties should give in nothing but the best and allow public opinion to be the judge.”
