By JAJAH COULIBALY –
THE Tropical Disease Research Centre (TDRC) in conjunction with the Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up a traditional hospital in Zambia which will treat patients using herbal medicines.
TDRC director Modest Mulenga said the MoU would benefit the health sector by improving the lives of Zambians as herbs were proven to be natural medicines worldwide.
He said more than 50 Zambians were being trained in China to have skills on traditional medicine and that a plantation would soon be launched where different kinds of plants would be planted for herb processing.
Dr Mulenga said herbs in Zambia had played a part in the health of the citizens and yet no research had been undertaken to develop that kind of medical treatment.
“Members of the public should be aware that currently the drugs used for malaria treatment come from herbs and a lot of products which are on sale come from herbs,” he said.
Dr Mulenga said that the ministry of Health had assisted them to engage partners who had experience such as Jiangxi University of Chinese Traditional Medicine to fully understand the science behind traditional medicine.
Jiangxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine president Liu Hongning thanked the ministry of Health and TDRC for understanding the importance of traditional medicine.
Mr Liu said Zambia had very fertile land which could support almost any kind of plant, a thing that would make the traditional hospital a success once fully operational.
He said that Zambia was the first country in Africa to sign an MoU with their university to set up a hospital that would administer traditional medicine to patients.
“I hope and believe that this MoU will not only benefit the two parties that have signed but all Zambians and Chinese people resident in Zambia,” he said.
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