Nigeria’s First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has pledged support for stakeholders in the Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) toward ensuring accessibility and affordability of their products.

Mrs Buhari gave the pledge on Thursday when she received members of TCAM, led by Minister of State for Health, Dr Olorunnimbe Mamora, at the State House, Abuja.

She emphasised the need for the stakeholders to sanitise and promote the use of traditional and alternative medicine for the growth of the nation`s health sector.

“ TCAM is a long-standing complement to orthodox medicine in many parts of the world. In Nigeria, production of traditional herbs is still at its primary stage and needs to be further exploited.

“My intention, therefore, is to promote awareness on the importance of local herbs in healthcare, bearing in mind the need for developing it scientifically and producing it for the benefit of our people.

“This requires collaboration in all aspects, from the health ministry to the local producers, because we cannot afford to allow our traditional herbs to waste,” she said.

On his part, the minister called for support by stakeholders in order to encourage the practitioners to increase production and patronage of traditional medicine.

Mamora urged the practitioners to continue improving the traditional medicine.

According to him, “ there is no way of achieving universal health coverage without traditional medicine.”

The delegation decorated the first lady as ‘Ambassador and Champion’ for her role in promoting traditional and alternative medicine in the country.

The meeting was organised by the office of the first lady and the federal ministry of health to strategise, ahead of the TCAM Conference and Exhibition, scheduled for June 4 in Abuja.