By Asma’u Ahmad
A medical expert at the Kwara State General Hospital, Dr. Festus Olalekan, has warned against the uncontrollable consumption of traditionally concocted medicines, saying it could result to serious health damage.
Dr. Olalekan gave the warning in an interview with Newsmen in Ilorin on Wednesday. The expert explained that not all the plants reported to be useful are harmless, adding that if these plants were taken without adequate knowledge, it could cause kidney and liver dysfunction and even death in some cases.
He said that many of the available herbal products being marketed have no clear statement of content and there are no medically related information certified by a recognized medical body.
“Herbal medicines contains toxicity and the risks that comes with it outweighs its benefits. That is why Nigerians need to refrain from its consumption in order to prevent health implications.
“Sincerely, I pity some patients who go after traditional medicines in order to recover, without knowing that they are risking their lives. Some of the herbs are harmful to the extent of damaging kidney and even resulting to death.
“It will amaze you that some of the so called herbal medicines sold in Nigeria markets have no clear statement of content or even certified by any recognised medical body, yet Nigerians are patronising them”, he said.
Olalekan however expressed disappointment at the rate some Nigerians were patronising “Agbo” a locally concocted herbal medicine, because they believe it works faster and cheaper than the conventional medicines.
Expressing worry about proliferation of this herbal concoction, the Doctor said many of the people who engaged in the business do so without any training but to make ends meet.
“Agbo is a deadly concoction that should be avoided because many of the sellers go into the business without training but to flee from the grips of unemployment,” Olalekan warned.
He, however cautioned patients who found solace in “agbo” and othersorts of traditional herbs to be health conscious and stop the intake of unquantified concocted herbs as solution to illness but rather seek medical help.
