By Chris Mugasha
Government has commended Rukararwe Partnership Workshop for Rural Development for carrying the traditional herbal medicine flag high.
The Minister for Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Monica Musenero said for government to priotize herbal medicine they had/have benchmarked a lot from Rukararwe.
Musenero said Rukararwe remains very iconic in the journey of developing and commercializing herbal medicine in the country.
She saluted the NGO for creating a network of herbalists who are well versed with knowledge on traditional herbal medicine.
Musenero was recently visiting Rukararwe to assess the progress in the research of anti-prostate cancer treatment using herbs. Government is supporting the research.
Rukararwe was established in 1986 by the late Samson Nyine Bitahwa who served as Igara West’s area member of parliament and at the time of his death he was Uganda’s ambassador to Germany. Bitahwa together with his friends in Germany started the NGO upon his return from Germany where he had stayed as a refugee for many years.
Musenero said many people including medical doctors had remained with a negative attitude towards herbal medicine until when COVID-19 hit and everyone had to rush and resort to treatment using herbs. Indeed herbal medicine was stamped when Prof. Ogwang innovated in the treatment of COVIDEX in the treatment of COVID-19 whose ingredients were/are herbs.
Musenero challenged the medical fraternity saying it’s high time they drop the negative attitude towards herbal medicine and instead collaborate with herbalists to improve on their indigenous knowledge in order to add value on traditional herbal medicine. She said medical doctors never wanted to identify themselves with herbal medicine.
Urging Ugandans especially doctors to move away from the colonialism, Musenero told Ugandan to look at everything surrounding them as a resource to harness.
Musenero noted that Uganda can save a lot of money (600million USD) that government currently spends on importation of drugs abroad annually if herbal medicine was well developed.
The Bushenyi district woman Member of Parliament Annet Katusiime Mugisha said the role of herbal medicine cannot be underrated saying countries like India, China have largely depended on herbal medicine.
Katusiime said with the prevailing situation of Uganda’s economy where the resource envelope has narrowed, government would be spending little money on importation of drugs if the herbal sector was well attended to.
Katusiime also thanked Rukararwe for standing out to defend Uganda’s heritage. The MP also said the model of herbal medicine preserves the environment from degradation.
Katusiime saluted Musenero for being resilient and having passion for science despite being misunderstood by a cross section of Ugandans. “You have stood firm and you are progressing very well,” Katusiime said as she hailed Musenero.
Caption: Dr Hilda Ikiriza explaining at Rukararwe’s labaratory.
The legislature pledged to lobby her fellow MPs to allocate more funds towards research and innovations.
Musenero said amidst criticism, she has been able to advance and registered success stories especially re-organising and re-aligning scientists across the country.
The Rukararwe Board of Trustees chairperson Johnson Bitarabeho appreciated government for supporting the research. He appealed to government to help the institution to expand the production.
According to Dr. Hilda Ikiriza the research team leader at Rukararwe, samples were submitted and they are only waiting for approval.
End.
