By Kebba AF Touray
Dr Ahmad Lamin Samateh, the Minister of Health, said consultations are ongoing for a possible legal action against companies allegedly responsible for the death of more than 70 children from the Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).
The Minister appeared before the National Assembly on Wednesday, 13 December 2023 to respond to questions asked by National Assembly Members.
The Member for Serrekunda West, Honourable Madi Ceesay, asked “Could the Minister explain to this august Assembly if the government has plans to pursue legal action against companies responsible for the death of more than 70 children from Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and update the Assembly on the progress made thus far?”
Minister Samateh replied: “This was recommended by both the reports of the National Assembly and AKI Taskforce Reports. Consultations are ongoing and we are working with the Ministry of Justice”.
Nffally Kora, the Member for Tumana, asked the Ministry to state plans in place to integrate traditional and conventional medicines like other countries do.
Health Minister Samateh detailed that the Health Ministry recognises the need and importance of traditional medicines considering its huge potential to complement modern medicine in the Gambia.
“Traditional medicine still remains widely unregulated which makes harmonization difficult. The Ministry however has plans to strengthen traditional medicine with adequate control and regulation,” the Minister said.
As part of the integration, he said the Ministry will ensure the establishment and maintenance of the regulatory mechanisms to effectively integrate, enhance and control traditional medicine and other complementary medicines into the public health system.
“This will be done by facilitating collaboration with traditional agencies of other countries for the exchange of useful information and experience as well as reviewing and coming up with a new act that will address all issues related to traditional medicine in the country”, he said.
The Minister informed the lawmakers that the West African Health Organization (WAHO) WAHO-Pharmacopeia was lunched by member countries, and it will help in the standardization of traditional medicines.
The Minister said The Gambia hosted the West African Traditional Medicine Expert’s meeting on strengthening traditional medicine in the region two years ago.
“These all go to emphasize government’s commitment to the strengthening of the practice of the traditional medicine,” he said.
Honourable Kora asked the Minister to state whether the Government has started the process of recruiting the local people, who understand the country’s local herbs, so that they can be easily integrated in the conventional health system.
The Health Minister said there have been regular engagements by the country’s traditional medicine’s program through its dedicated traditional medicines unit, which engages the traditional medicine practitioners. He added that the practitioners also have their umbrella body that regulates their members to some extent.
“Traditional medicine is one of the most difficult areas to regulate, because the practices are different and some don’t want to share the knowledge.”
The Minister said that is why the Government wants a legislative framework that enables and empowers the Ministry to be able to say everyone should be registered and be able to categorise them.
“Yes, there has been some decree of engagements with these people. I have had numerous engagements with these people,” the Minister said.
