Health
WHO Names Nigeria’s Professor Martins Emeje Co-Chair of Traditional Medicine Advisory Group
The appointment of Professor Emeje reflects the WHO’s commitment to inclusive, balanced, and scientifically rigorous leadership in advancing traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine worldwide.
As the Director-General of NNMDA, Professor Emeje has played a pivotal role in promoting research, development, regulation, and commercialization of natural medicines in Nigeria.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has named Professor Martins Emeje, Director-General of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA, as Co-Chair of its newly established Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (STAG-TM).
Professor Emeje was appointed alongside Dr Susan Wieland, Director at Cochrane Complementary Medicine, following the formal unveiling of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group.
The establishment of STAG-TM marks a significant milestone in the implementation of the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy, aimed at strengthening global health systems through evidence-based traditional and integrative medicine.
The appointment of Professor Emeje reflects the WHO’s commitment to inclusive, balanced, and scientifically rigorous leadership in advancing traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine worldwide.
Both Co-Chairs bring extensive expertise in research, innovation, and policy development, particularly in natural products and evidence-based medicine.
As the Director-General of NNMDA, Professor Emeje has played a pivotal role in promoting research, development, regulation, and commercialization of natural medicines in Nigeria.
His selection highlights Nigeria’s growing contribution to global health governance and innovation in traditional medicine.
The Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine will provide expert guidance to the WHO on policy frameworks, research priorities, and best practices to ensure the safe, effective, and quality integration of traditional medicine into national healthcare systems.
The W.H.O while announcing the creation of the 19 member Group emphasized that the move is part of its global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025 describing it as a decisive step in applying a scientific response to traditional medicine.
At the inaugural meeting of the Group, held alongside the second W. H.O Global Traditional Medicine Summit held in New Delhi, India, the W.H.O’s Assistant Director General for Health System,Access and Data, Dr Yukiko Nakatani says it is a pivotal moment for Traditional Medicine as it embodies cultural heritage, national health identities and a vital component of policy healthcare strategies.
The situation whereby the rapid growth of traditional medicine has not been matched by strong evidence, standards, regulatory frameworks or sustainable governance, W.H.O’s Chief Scientist , Dr Sylvie Briand emphasized, underscores the urgency of the initiative.
Health
National Data Repository Index Numbers of patients currently on treatment for HIV in Nigeria as at May 13, 2026
Benue: 195,305
- Akwa Ibom: 158,201
- Lagos: 135,918
- Rivers: 90,055
- Nasarawa: 65,996
- FCT: 62,627
- Kaduna: 58,576
- Cross River: 57,765
- Enugu: 55,478
- Delta: 52,475
- Taraba: 51,840
- Abia: 50,038
- Imo: 47,863
- Plateau: 46,618
- Anambra: 46,602
- Adamawa: 42,074
- Kano: 41,093
- Kogi: 37,301
- Oyo: 33,133
- Niger: 33,057
- Ogun: 31,822
- Bauchi: 29,745
- Edo: 29,256
- Gombe: 28,037
- Osun: 25,018
- Borno: 24,527
- Ondo: 22,455
- Kebbi: 20,803
- Bayelsa: 19,549
- Katsina: 18,682
- Ebonyi: 15,474
- Kwara: 14,997
- Jigawa: 14,302
- Zamfara: 13,813
- Ekiti: 12,356
- Yobe: 10,716
- Sokoto: 10,511 Total: 1.70m
The Federal Government has reaffirmed its commitment to the establishment of an Agro-Industrial Business Hub and Mega Livestock Processing Facility in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The Minister of Livestock Development, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, gave the assurance during a high-level strategic meeting involving the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development, ABIS Group and the Livestock Productivity and Resilience Support Project (LPRES) in Abuja.
The Minister stated that the Ministry would work closely with ABIS Group, LPRES and other stakeholders to ensure the smooth take-off and successful implementation of the project. He explained that the engagement followed Nigeria’s participation in an international training programme on pastoral market access and inclusive contracting models held in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
According to the Minister, the training, organised under the auspices of the African Union Interafrican Bureau for Animal Resources and the African Pastoral Market Development Platform, provided valuable insights into strengthening livestock value chains, improving market systems and promoting quality assurance mechanisms across Africa.
Leader of the ABIS delegation, Ambassador Emmanuel Usman, commended the Ministry for facilitating the group’s participation in the training programme, which brought together delegates from Somalia, Botswana, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Also speaking, LPRES National Coordinator, Sanusi Abubakar, appreciated the Minister for supporting collaboration and inclusiveness in the livestock sector.
The General Manager of ABIS Group, Mr. Kujo Reigans, highlighted key lessons from the training, including the need for a unified quality assurance system, structured outgrower schemes and improved access to funding opportunities through the Development Bank of Nigeria.
He stated that these measures would enhance efficiency, traceability and competitiveness within Nigeria’s livestock industry.
The ABIS team also raised concerns over visa bottlenecks affecting expatriates working on the Abuja Mega Livestock Processing Facility project, calling for streamlined visa processes to ease project implementation and support the timely delivery of the agro-industrial hub in the FCT.
Health
Pharmacists body urges FG to establish presidential committee for sector
The association noted that local drug production currently accounts for just over 38 percent of national demand, far below the 70 percent target set in the National Drug Policy 2021.
The Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) urges the Federal Government to establish a presidential committee dedicated to the pharmaceutical sector, implementing the National Drug Distribution Guidelines, and strengthening existing laws against fake drugs.
ACPN made the call while reacting to the government’s recent ban on imported drugs, describing the move as a strategic step toward strengthening local pharmaceutical manufacturing and conserving foreign exchange.
In a statement jointly signed by its National Chairman, Ambrose Ezeh and National Secretary, Omokhafe Ashore, the association said the updated prohibition schedule covering drugs under HS Codes 3003.10.00.00 through 3004.90.00 signals renewed commitment to protecting domestic industry players.
The ACPN specifically highlighted the ban on the importation of commonly used medicines such as paracetamol tablets and syrups, metronidazole, clotrimazole, chloroquine, multivitamins, aspirin and folic acid, as well as topical preparations like penicillin and gentamycin ointments.
It described the development as a “step in the right direction” that would boost investor confidence in Nigeria’s pharmaceutical sector.
The association noted that local drug production currently accounts for just over 38 percent of national demand, far below the 70 percent target set in the National Drug Policy 2021.
It attributed this gap partly to continued dependence on imports, especially from China and India, which it said accounts for about 65 per cent of drug supply in the country.
It also urged reforms in pharmaceutical education and training to expand the pool of skilled professionals across industry, clinical, hospital and community practice.
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