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Farouk Martins Aresa @oomoaresa
We must examine the myth of Traditional Medicine as we learn Chemistry,
Biology and Physics from Primary schools to the University level.
Africans are the only ones that still see Traditional Medicine as
Fetish, Voodoo and Mystical. Other continents examine their Traditional
or Natural Medicine not only in their countries but explore Africa to
discover more. Africa must demystify and expose the mystery for facts
and hypothesize about what works in reality.
Take aspirin, quinine and chloroquine as few examples of African
Traditional Medicine. These were indigenous to Africa but studied,
pasteurized with dosages outside Africa! We had very intelligent and
capable scientists that could have done as much. The first time this
writer and his classmates made Aspirin in the school chemistry
laboratory, it was so exhilarating, just like making a million!
Madagascar asked and South Africa has expressed willingness to assist
with the scientific analysis of COVID Organics (CVO), the herbal drink
that went viral; to prevent and cure patients suffering from the novel
coronavirus or COVID-19. This has prompted other African countries to
look inwards since they cannot find the cure in overseas markets, even
if they have all the money. Unfortunately, it takes the lack of
readymade cures for African leaders to realize all their loots cannot
buy Covid-19 cure overseas.
Remdesivir is the latest experimental drug on focus claimed to be very
promising because limited study demonstrated it prolonged the life of
patients by 15 days compared to 11 days on placebo. Normally, that is
not statistically significant. But if there is nothing better, you hang
on to what you’ve got. The limited amount available for patients in the
United States cannot meet the demand for trials. Doctors have to play
God on desiston to determine who gets it.
Before then, it was Hydroxychloroquine. The fact that some people got
cured on it, however little it has worked for most, made them swear by
its efficacy. These experimental drugs for Covid-19 are:
Blood thinners,
Convalescent plasma
Hydroxychloroquine
Remdesivir
Steroids
Interleukin 6
The only sure bet right now is Prevention as Physical Distancing,
avoiding densely packed areas with masks if need be. More important,
immersion (covered) in hot steam of green boilings of herbs at the
slightest symptoms of any flu. Since the World Health Organization has
not endorsed any cure in or outside Africa; yet.
All we need to do is check the bottles of the multivitamins we import
from overseas. They are all made up of greens or wild bush “agbo” our
parents gave us as children. The same ones we boil, immersed ourselves
in with bed cover and breath in to cure cold, catarrh, flu and other
ailments. Why are we buying foreigners’ multivitamins made from the same
bush nutrients available in African countries but ignored our
traditional medicine, Agbo?
In that case what was preventing this writer and others from flooding
African markets with local vitamins? Market has to open for local
products and services to flourish. Many African countries have enough
problems chasing fake drugs and bringing their makers in for
prosecution. Africans hardly trust our brands, even the discovery of
fake empty capsules imported from overseas have been discouraging. On
top of these are the complex issues that African drugs are not
pasteurized, without dosage and can be toxic to the kidney, liver or
both.
Unfortunately, we spend so much effort, waste knowledge, resources and
manpower exploring the traditional medicine of other continents being
tested in their laboratories than we do with ours. It must be added that
there is nothing wrong with studying or replicating the world
experiment, but there is total ignorance in rejecting our own.
Issac Asimov, the science fiction writer of robots, space and alien
fiction at one point encouraged the development of robotics, space and
star wars scientists of today. These were not different from flying
saucers, magic carpets or flying witches. Children and youths were
exposed to them as games before they became space scientists. In Africa,
these were called Voodoo players and condemned by most without
exploration.
Two high school girls in Nigeria are worldly recognized for their
discovery of walnuts as the disinfectant for mouth odor. Indeed, most
African countries have various chewing sticks for deodorizing mouth
odor. The point must be made that what other continents practice every
day as Traditional Medicine has been turned to science experiments in
schools.
Right now, we get more exposure to Traditional Medicine in Nollyhood or
Ghallybood movies from Nigeria, Ghana to South Africa by dramatic
exaggeration than from a clean scientific demonstration. In these
popular movies, the biased diabolic and fetish views are reinforced.
There are schools of Health Sciences and Health Technologies training
Nurses and Physician Assistants. There is no reasonable reason why they
are not taught Natural or Traditional Medicine. Indeed some countries
started the certification and regulations of some Traditional Medicine
men and women in rural areas willing to take some training. In another
case children of Medicine Men were recruited after high school into
School of Health Technology for Community Health Officer training
(Physician Assistants).
Nevertheless, African countries must offer their best medicine and
compete equally with other countries looking for cures and vaccines
against exotic diseases. If a little country like Cuba can supply highly
trained medical workers, African countries could. Indeed, Nigeria until
recently used to post medical, legal and military experts and
missionaries to many countries in Africa and the world. What changed?
We must examine the myth of Traditional Medicine as we learn Chemistry,
Biology and Physics from Primary schools to the University level.
Africans are the only ones that still see Traditional Medicine as
Fetish, Voodoo and Mystical. Other continents examine their Traditional
or Natural Medicine not only in their countries but explore Africa to
discover more. Africa must demystify and expose the mystery for facts
and hypothesize about what works in reality.
Take aspirin, quinine and chloroquine as few examples of African
Traditional Medicine. These were indigenous to Africa but studied,
pasteurized with dosages outside Africa! We had very intelligent and
capable scientists that could have done as much. The first time this
writer and his classmates made Aspirin in the school chemistry
laboratory, it was so exhilarating, just like making a million!
Madagascar asked and South Africa has expressed willingness to assist
with the scientific analysis of COVID Organics (CVO), the herbal drink
that went viral; to prevent and cure patients suffering from the novel
coronavirus or COVID-19. This has prompted other African countries to
look inwards since they cannot find the cure in overseas markets, even
if they have all the money. Unfortunately, it takes the lack of
readymade cures for African leaders to realize all their loots cannot
buy Covid-19 cure overseas.
Remdesivir is the latest experimental drug on focus claimed to be very
promising because limited study demonstrated it prolonged the life of
patients by 15 days compared to 11 days on placebo. Normally, that is
not statistically significant. But if there is nothing better, you hang
on to what you’ve got. The limited amount available for patients in the
United States cannot meet the demand for trials. Doctors have to play
God on desiston to determine who gets it.
Before then, it was Hydroxychloroquine. The fact that some people got
cured on it, however little it has worked for most, made them swear by
its efficacy. These experimental drugs for Covid-19 are:
Blood thinners,
Convalescent plasma
Hydroxychloroquine
Remdesivir
Steroids
Interleukin 6
The only sure bet right now is Prevention as Physical Distancing,
avoiding densely packed areas with masks if need be. More important,
immersion (covered) in hot steam of green boilings of herbs at the
slightest symptoms of any flu. Since the World Health Organization has
not endorsed any cure in or outside Africa; yet.
All we need to do is check the bottles of the multivitamins we import
from overseas. They are all made up of greens or wild bush “agbo” our
parents gave us as children. The same ones we boil, immersed ourselves
in with bed cover and breath in to cure cold, catarrh, flu and other
ailments. Why are we buying foreigners’ multivitamins made from the same
bush nutrients available in African countries but ignored our
traditional medicine, Agbo?
In that case what was preventing this writer and others from flooding
African markets with local vitamins? Market has to open for local
products and services to flourish. Many African countries have enough
problems chasing fake drugs and bringing their makers in for
prosecution. Africans hardly trust our brands, even the discovery of
fake empty capsules imported from overseas have been discouraging. On
top of these are the complex issues that African drugs are not
pasteurized, without dosage and can be toxic to the kidney, liver or
both.
Unfortunately, we spend so much effort, waste knowledge, resources and
manpower exploring the traditional medicine of other continents being
tested in their laboratories than we do with ours. It must be added that
there is nothing wrong with studying or replicating the world
experiment, but there is total ignorance in rejecting our own.
Issac Asimov, the science fiction writer of robots, space and alien
fiction at one point encouraged the development of robotics, space and
star wars scientists of today. These were not different from flying
saucers, magic carpets or flying witches. Children and youths were
exposed to them as games before they became space scientists. In Africa,
these were called Voodoo players and condemned by most without
exploration.
Two high school girls in Nigeria are worldly recognized for their
discovery of walnuts as the disinfectant for mouth odor. Indeed, most
African countries have various chewing sticks for deodorizing mouth
odor. The point must be made that what other continents practice every
day as Traditional Medicine has been turned to science experiments in
schools.
Right now, we get more exposure to Traditional Medicine in Nollyhood or
Ghallybood movies from Nigeria, Ghana to South Africa by dramatic
exaggeration than from a clean scientific demonstration. In these
popular movies, the biased diabolic and fetish views are reinforced.
There are schools of Health Sciences and Health Technologies training
Nurses and Physician Assistants. There is no reasonable reason why they
are not taught Natural or Traditional Medicine. Indeed some countries
started the certification and regulations of some Traditional Medicine
men and women in rural areas willing to take some training. In another
case children of Medicine Men were recruited after high school into
School of Health Technology for Community Health Officer training
(Physician Assistants).
Nevertheless, African countries must offer their best medicine and
compete equally with other countries looking for cures and vaccines
against exotic diseases. If a little country like Cuba can supply highly
trained medical workers, African countries could. Indeed, Nigeria until
recently used to post medical, legal and military experts and
missionaries to many countries in Africa and the world. What changed?