By Eze Nwabueze
A traditional medical expert and Chairman of National Association of Nigerian Traditional Medicine Practitioners (NANTEMP), Anambra State Chapter, Dr. Cyril Akudigwe has dismissed the fears that the deadly corona virus pandemic does not have any known curative medicine yet, saying that the virus is curable with herbal remedies.
He noted that as a herbalist of international repute, he was not in a position to confirm if orthodox medicine can cure the virus or not but can only confirm that with natural roots and herbs, the virus could easily be flushed out of a patient because the virus has a poisonous content.
Speaking to newsmen at Infection Disease Control Division of his herbal hospital located at Nkpor Junction, near Onitsha, Anambra state, Akudigwe who is the Director-General of Jeso-Du-Eme-Akapo-Ijo-Na-Igala Herbal Medicine Company Limited, insisted that since the virus has a poisonous content, herbal medicine is the major solution to it, as according to him, poison is not compatible with orthodox or western medicine.
According to him, we have an information that the symtoms of the disease are malaria, body pains, dry throat, cough and catarrh and we know that these ailments can be cured with both herbal and orthodox medicines, but since this particular virus has connection with poison, it has gone beyond orthodox medicine, leaving only herbs and roots as the only alternative curation method.
Therefore, let the government refer the infected patients to genuine herbalists for cure, particularly those whose cases have gone chronic, after being tested and confirmed positive to the virus, adding, government should also procure the testing equipment to ascertain peoples status, just like himan and domestic dogs are being tested in America and Europe.
He contended that the current lockdown in the country is not necessary, adding that what is necessary at the moment is to provide the test kits, run the tests on everybody and then refer those who tested positive to the appropriate quarters and allow others who tested negative to go about their normal businesses.
On the arrival of Chinese doctors to Nigeria, Dr. Akudigwe frowned at the invitation of the doctors by the federal government, adding that if the doctors could not cure those who died in their own country and other western countries like Europe, America and Asia, where a total death toll had already hit over 3,000 and about 82,000 infested, their coming to Nigeria is more or less not useful to Nigerians.
