Feb 01, 2002 (The Nation/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- The World Health Organisation yesterday supported the government's plan to dispense herbal medicine in public health institutions.

WHO Africa regional director Ebrahim Samba urged African doctors to stop dismissing herbal medicine since about 80 per cent of conventional medicine was derived from herbs.

Speaking in Nairobi, Dr Samba said his organisation was testing the efficacy and toxicity of two herbal drugs which had proved effective in treating opportunistic infections associated with HIV/Aids.

Dr Samba said this when he called on Health Ministers Sam Ongeri and Maalim Mohammed at Afya House, Nairobi.

Early this month, Prof Ongeri announced that herbal medicine may soon be available at health institutions if a proposed Bill becomes law. He said the government was studying a report on how the issue.

However, the Kenya Medical Association reacted angrily to the plans saying the move would be "disastrous" for health care services.

Yesterday, Prof Ongeri said a taskforce to review the role of traditional medicine and to test and verify the efficacy and toxicity of the herbs had been set-up.

He added: "The introduction of legally treated herbal medicine will be one way of eliminating quacks who have been fleecing patients of their hard earned money by selling worthless concoctions."

He added: "The introduction of legally treated herbal medicine will be one way of eliminating quacks who have been fleecing patients of their hard earned money by selling worthless concoctions."

Copyright The Nation. Distributed by All Africa Global Media

From AllAfrica.com