LAGOS -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.
