Anyone interested in native medicine can now study it in Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, formerly Anambra State University.
This was announced on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the Anambra State Governor, Mr Willie Obiano, on Medicine and Herbal Practice, Dr Onyekachi Ibezim.
Ibezim said at a press conference in Awka, the state capital that “the University has commenced an advanced diploma course in native medicine but any interested person/student must possess a minimum of a first degree in any field of study to be admitted for the course.”
“Just as practitioners of western medicine are trained and certified, the government wants a situation where traditional medical practitioners are also trained and certified,” he said.
Noting that the need to harmonise and standardise studies and the profession of herbal medicine in the state was responsible for the development, Ibezim said that the state government was working alongside two professors of pharmacy as technical advisers.
“When I was appointed, I found out that traditional medicine practice was an all comers affairs. Some practitioners would claim that they were born with the skills.
“In the medical line where I belong, you must go to school and obtain a certificate before you can practice. This is what we want to replicate in traditional medicine,”he added.