NAIROBI, Jan 9, 2002 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Kenyan Public Health Minister Sam Ongeri will introduce a bill in Parliament seeking to legalize traditional medicine in the country, local media reported on Wednesday.

Ongeri made the remarks at the opening of a four-day International Council of Women Africa Regional Conference held here on Tuesday.

The minister said his ministry intended to institutionalize traditional medicine and integrate it into medical practice so that it can be used alongside conventional medicines.

Towards this end, he said, the ministry has already established an analytical laboratory equipped with modern technology to help test the efficacy of these medicines.

"The whole essence of this move is to keep away all the claims by people claiming to have cures for HIV/AIDS. The validity for their drugs will have to be assessed before they are approved by the government," Ongeri said.

He further noted that the traditional medicine will be subjected to thorough scrutiny and inspection and then prescribed for sale in pharmacies.

Ongeri added that there is hope in alternative medicines especially in the fight against HIV/AIDS because they are cheaper and can effectively compete with the conventional medicines.

　　From Healthy.net