But Still To Be Integrated Into National Health Care System
 |
| Dr. Richard Fru. |
By Christopher Ambe
Dr. Fru Richard, Founder/Director of
the famous Dr. Fru‘s Garden of Eden
International Healing & Research Foundation with headquarters in Buea, has said
traditional medicine is growing by leaps and bounds in Cameroon,
despite lackluster efforts by the Government to promote it as recommended by
the World Health Organization(WHO).
Dr. Fru ,who is a celebrated
researcher of traditional medicine, made
the statement on the occasion of the 10th African Traditional
Medicine day, which he organized single-handed, at his Buea clinic premises
last August 31, and brought together a huge crowd of lovers and users of
traditional medicine.
African Traditional Medicine Day,
which is August 31 yearly, is backed by the WHO.
This year’s theme was “African
Traditional Medicine Day: What impact?”
The ceremony, which coincided with
Dr. Fru’s yearly donation of foodstuff to the less-privileged, was characterized
by a well-attended press conference, during which Dr.Fru proved to journalists
that he remains a master in traditional medicine by answering questions to the
satisfaction of all.
 |
| Dr. Fru with mike at drugs' exhibition as reporters take notes |
Other highlights of the ceremony were free
consultation and treatment of patients with drugs produced by the
researcher/healer-and an exhibition of newly produced and packaged traditional
drugs.
“Everywhere in Cameroon, there is a
new spirit of traditional medicine blowing. More and more people are now embracing
traditional medicine to take care of their health needs”, Dr. Fru told the
press conference
Africans (80%) Depend on Trad-medicine
 |
| Many answered present for free consultation and treatment |
According to the WHO more than 80%
of Africans depend on traditional medicine, Dr. Fru said, adding that the positive
impact of traditional medicine in Cameroon is greatly felt by people of all
walks of life.
He disclosed that because of the
importance of traditional medicine the WHO has since been mounting pressure on
governments to integrate it into their health systems.
But Dr. Fru expressed regrets that
in Cameroon, some unscrupulous government officials are working against the WHO
request by Intimidating those practicing traditional medicine.
“ It is 10 years now, while there is
noticeable progress in many other countries ,there is still no significant
progress that has been made in Cameroon by {the Government} when it comes to integrating traditional
medicine into the national health care system,” fumed the Director of Dr. Fru‘s
GEIHR Foundation.
“Unfortunately, this is still an area where
the dominant culture is treated like a marginal culture”
He insisted that traditional
medicine is the mother and the future
of all medicines and that it is based on the truth. The researcher said in
traditional medicine there is no standard dosage.
“Traditional Medicine has no
limitations. This is why traditional medicine is referred to as holistic
medicine; it is medicine that widens and extends beyond the narrow world view.
It is super medicine; it has a lot of super natural properties in it”,
according to Dr.Fru.
He said heads of state of African Union
(AU) at last AU meeting declared the period from 2011 to 2020 as the Second Decade of Traditional Medicine
with the recommendation that, member countries should promote and develop the
practice of traditional medicinal medicine.
The purpose of the day, Dr.Fru said,
was to sensitize the public on the merits of the usage and practice of the
traditional medicine.
“The horizon of traditional medicine has been
broadened as we are now talking about botanists who identify plants,
pharmacognosy, microbiologists and all other fields related to health care. All
we need to do is to fasten unity among colleagues and have one voice in defense
of the practice,” he observed as he called for improved collaboration between
ordothox and traditional practitioners.
Communication needed for awareness creation
The CEO of GEIHR foundation lamented
that government agents don’t want tradi-practioners to sensitize the public on
the importance of traditional medicine.
 |
| Journalists at the press conference |
“Many uninformed persons have categorized our activities
being propagated and mediatized to promote traditional medicine as advertisement”,
he noted. “Many uninformed traditional healers still depend only on the
patient-to –patient information as sensitization”
Dr. Fru stressed the important role
of communication in creating awareness. “The Bible is is a medium wherein God is made
known to man. Is this advertisement? If it is, then, what we are doing in the
press is advertisement par excellence!”
He stressed that “our media campaign
is intended to promote an idea or influence behavior of patients and society in
general towards healthy living. “Just imagine what would have happened to the population
if there was not a vast and aggressive media campaign against the HIV/AIDS and others?”
he asked rhetorically.
It should by noted that although an
invitation was sent to the Southwest Regional Delegation of the Ministry of
Public Health in Buea, neither the Regional Delegate nor his representative attended
the ceremony, pushing observers to question whether Government is actually committed to promoting traditional
medicine as recommended by WHO.
Although headquartered in Buea, the
GEIHR Foundation has established branches in some towns and cities of Cameroon.
Towns and cities already having branches of GEIHR Foundation are: Kumba,
Douala, Yaounde, Bamenda, Limbe and recently Bertoua.
Dr.Fru plans to establish more
branch clinics in Maroua, Ebolowa, Ngoundere and Graoua-especially as the
demand for his drugs and consultation is greatly increasing as the days pass
by.
Dr.Fru”s Popularity
 |
| Dr. Fru's Foodstuff donation for the needy |
Dr. Fru, as young as he is, has
become a famous award winning modern
traditional doctor who has proven beyond doubts that, traditional medicine is
the bedrock of all medicine on earth and remains the future of all
medicines
Dr. Fru has, for years now,
been a household name not only in Cameroon but also abroad because
of the effectiveness of his medicinal drugs, that knock out
diseases from the body - even some considered by conventional doctors as
incurable.He is also a philanthropist,assisting the needy in various ways.
No comments:
Post a Comment