Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board
(LSTMB) has sealed off premises of traditional medicine practitioners, for violating rules and regulations guiding traditional medicine practice in the state.
The exercise which was carried out
in collaboration with the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps targeted traditional birth attendants, faith-based healers and bone setters.
Speaking during the exercise, the Registrar of the Board, Mr Olorunkemi Olawale Kadiku explained that the exercise was long overdue following the March expiration deadline earlier given to the practitioners to register with the state government.
He explained that the exercise which
was in line with the directive of the National Council of Health was not being taken seriously by affected persons, adding that the affected practitioners had already been issued abatement notices.
Kadiku added that practitioners whose premises were sealed-up have been operating their facilities without approval and license to practice in the State, despite several pleas from the State Government to them.
According to Kadiku, faith-based healers under which ppentecostal churches operate also have to register, “so far they have birth attendant facilities”, adding that all practices relating to traditional medicine, birth attendants, faith-based healing, bone setting and the like, have to be done within the ambience of the law of the state, as recommended by the National Body on Health.
Speaking further at another location in Mushin, the registrar who led the enforcement team, said a situation where practitioners operate in a dirty
environment and willingly test the patience and magnanimity of government by flagrantly contravening the law will no longer be tolerated.
He assured that the agency will do all possible within the law to sanitise the practice of traditional medicine in the state. One of the birth attendants who has refused to register, in spite of a series of warnings and abatement notices, were handed over to the police at the Nigeria Police, Area D Command, Mushin, for prosecution, to serve as deterrent to others.
