Lagos, Ogun partner to strengthen traditional medicine regulation

The Lagos State Government is seeking to strengthen regulation of traditional medicine through institutional collaboration with Ogun State, drawing on its registration of 9,645 practitioners and regulatory framework to improve oversight of the sector.

The move followed a working visit by a delegation from the Ogun State Alternative Medicine Board to the Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board, where the visiting officials sought to study Lagos’ regulatory structure, administrative processes and strategies for monitoring practitioners.

The Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos board, Babatunde Adele, said the agency was ready to share its experience with its Ogun counterpart to promote professional standards and responsible traditional medicine practice.

Adele disclosed that the board, established in 1980, had registered 9,645 active traditional medicine practitioners, adding that its responsibilities included registration, professional development, monitoring and the promotion of safe healthcare practices.

He said the board had introduced regular training programmes and a code of conduct for practitioners as part of efforts to improve professional standards, strengthen accountability and address the activities of unregulated operators.

The collaboration also comes as Lagos pursues institutional and infrastructure development to support research, documentation and the standardisation of traditional medicine.

Adele identified a botanical garden being established in Epe, plans for additional traditional medicine clinics and laboratories, and the proposed creation of zonal offices to bring the board’s regulatory services closer to practitioners and members of the public.

He said the initiatives were part of efforts to modernise the sector while preserving indigenous medical knowledge and ensuring that its practice met acceptable standards of safety and professionalism.

The Ogun delegation, led by the board’s Executive Secretary and Registrar, Charles Erinle, said it was seeking practical lessons from Lagos’ regulatory experience to strengthen alternative medicine administration in the state.

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Erinle said the visit was designed to familiarise his team with the Lagos board’s operational structure, administrative processes and regulatory strategies, while identifying areas of cooperation between the two institutions.

He expressed confidence that the experience gained would provide useful models for improving regulation and developing traditional medicine practice in Ogun.

A former member of the Lagos board and the Chief Executive Officer of Royal Holistic College of Traditional Medicine, Tajudeen Olusesi, said the agency had also supported the development of institutions and facilities for organised traditional medicine practice.

He identified training institutions, clinics, botanical gardens, herbal centres and drug manufacturing facilities among the areas encouraged by the board.

Olusesi said the introduction of a data management system, alongside practitioner registration and periodic licence renewal, had helped the board identify active practitioners and address inactive registrations.

He said the measures would strengthen the agency’s database and provide a more reliable basis for monitoring practitioners and improving regulatory oversight.

A member of the Ogun delegation, Olufunke Adu, thanked the Lagos board for sharing its institutional experience and operational insights, saying the lessons would be useful in strengthening regulation in Ogun.

She expressed optimism that the engagement would lead to sustained cooperation between the two states.

The proposed collaboration highlights the growing importance of institutional capacity in regulating traditional medicine, particularly in ensuring that practitioners operate within established standards while indigenous medical knowledge is preserved and developed through research and proper documentation.