By Tina George, Minna
The National Coordinator of the Nigeria Union of Physicians of Complimentary and Alternative Medicine (NUPCAM), Dr Usman Chiroma has disclosed that only 20 per cent of the populace in the country seek conventional medical treatment when they fall sick.
He stated that the level of acceptance rate for alternative and complementary medicine in Nigeria is very high, as 80 per cent of Nigerians still depend on alternative and traditional Medicare, because of its affordability and ease of access.
Speaking to newsmen during an alternative and complementary medical outreach, organized in collaboration with the Sani Bello Foundation in Kontagora, Chiroma said that time had come for government to integrate the alternative and complementary medicine into the health system and give it the recognition it deserves.
The Medical Director of the Usman Chiroma Alternative and Chinese Herbal Treatment Hospital, noted that alternative and complementary medical practice is long overdue in being integrated into the healthcare of the country.
“Alternative and complementary medicine is a field of medicine practised in developed nations such as China, America, India, the UK and some African countries. Some of us have gone there and learnt from the best in this field and we have been professionally trained in this field of medicine and we are here to put in this practice professional in such a way that every Nigerian will benefit.”
Chiroma then called on the National Assembly to pass the Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) Bill which will give room for those in this practice to integrate it into the healthcare system in the country.
“The National Assembly should speed up the passage of the bills so that we can have the Council of Physicians of Nigeria so that Nigerians can stop going outside the country for medical tourism as this aspect of medicine will take care of what the conventional medical aspect cannot handle.
“We have the manpower, we have the professionals in Nigeria. The government should encourage us so that Nigerians will stop spending resources that can be used to develop the medical field in the country by embarking on medical tourism to other countries.”
The Coordinator commended the legislators for passing the Federal College of Complementary and Alternative Medicine urging the government to implement the bill so that youths who are interested in the field can obtain knowledge about it.
The Director-General of the Sani Bello Foundation, Dr Zakari Ikani explained that the foundation has decided to try out the complementary and alternative medical treatment due to several demands from people who did not get complete treatment from the conventional medical treatment.
He said that the medical outreach is part of the Foundation’s humanitarian services to communities and societies adding that the Foundation is partnering with the Usman Chiroma Alternative and Chinese herbal Treatment Hospital to offer these services to the people in and around Kontagora.
Ikani stated that 50 people have been treated in the five days medical outreach adding that the Foundation is looking at running both the conventional and alternative medical programmes as part of its annual medical outreaches which are usually held twice a year.
“Now, we will have two medical programmes running in Kontagora as part of our annual medical outreach which would include the alternative and complementary medical outreach and the conventional medical outreach.
“Those that cannot be handled conventionally will be handled with alternative medicine. We now have option B in what we are doing. All these are meant to improve the health status of the people and provide treatments that would be beneficial to them,” he stated.
The diseases treated during the medical outreach include arthritis, osteoporosis, atherosclerosis, sclerosis, malaria, typhoid, phinitis, sickle cell, waist pain, diabetes, high blood pressure, insomnia, goitre, fibroid, rheumatism, erectile dysfunction, infertility and herpes.
The treatment offered includes acupuncture, massage, chiropractor, eye therapy, reflexology, detoxification, osteopathic, microcirculation, alhijama cupping, interacare, T-surgery and acupressure.
One of the beneficiaries, Ene Omale said she had been having waist pain and acute headache for over two years and has taken several treatments but none had worked.
She noted that after undertaking the massage, detoxification and the alhijama cupping, she had been relieved from the pain and headache adding that she now feels lighter in her body.
Another beneficiary, Jamal Adeyonju said that he was first skeptical about taking advantage of the offer but he did not regret it because he felt instant relief after assessing the services.
