Olubadan urges pharmacists to incorporate local herbs into drug production.

The Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oba Rasidi Ladoja, urged pharmacists to incorporate local herbs into the manufacture of drugs and other medicinal products.

Former Oyo State governor Ladoja said that doing so would lessen the region’s reliance on imported medicines and boost domestic production.

The traditional ruler made the appeal during an event in Oyo on Thursday.

He also encouraged pharmacists to work with local herbal practitioners, arguing that such collaboration would further reduce dependence on foreign drugs.

“How can we collaborate to ensure we use local herbs with modern ones to achieve better results?” Ladoja asked. “From my experience, I have a friend whose child had an ailment. He was treated with a local herb, and it was effective and efficient. It has been tested.”

“It is up to us to keep an open mind. I appeal again: let us embrace these practices and incorporate them. If necessary, conduct tests and proceed.”

During his address, Victor Ajanaku, president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria in Oyo, called on the federal government to enact policies that would foster local drug production.

“Local production of drugs is not even possible because government policies do not grant pharmacists approval for such production,” Ajanaku said. “Until the government creates favorable policies, we cannot pursue local manufacturing. The government should establish an enabling environment to encourage us, as there are several hindrances.”