The Lagos State Traditional Medicine Board (LSTMB) has shut premises of traditional medicine practitioners for continued violation of rules and regulations guiding traditional medicine practice in the state.
Premises of over seven practitioners in Mushin, Somolu and Bariga environs were shut during the exercise,which was carried out in collaboration with the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps.
Speaking,Registrar of the Board, Olorunkemi Olawale Kadiku, explained that the event was long overdue following the March expiration deadline earlier given to the practitioners to register with the state government.
He lamented that the exercise was not being taken seriously by the affected persons, adding that the affected practitioners had already been issued abatement notices.
He added that practitioners, whose premises were sealed-off, have been operating their facilities without approval and license to practice in the state, despite several pleas from the state government to them.
He said faith-based healers under which Pentecostal Churches operate, also have to register, “So far they have birth attendant facilities”, adding that all practices relating to traditional medicine, birth attendants, faith-based healing, bone setting and the like, have to be done within the ambience of the law of the state, as recommended by the National Body on Health.
Speaking further at another location in Mushin, the Registrar, who led the enforcement team, said a situation where practitioners operate in dirty environment and willingly test the patience and magnanimity of government by flagrantly contravening the law will no longer be tolerated, assuring that the agency will do all possible within the law to sanitize the practice of traditional medicine in the state.
One of the birth attendants, who refused to register in spite of series of warnings and abatement notices, was handed over to the Police at the Nigeria Police, Area D Command, Mushin, for prosecution, to serve as deterrent to others.
