Gov. Buni bags exceptional service Health Award
Story from Abah ADAH, Abuja
Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State in northeast Nigeria this weekend received an award of excellence for exceptional performance in the health sector.
The award was presented to Governor Buni at a Dinner/Award Night Ceremony put together in Abuja by the Federal Ministry of Health through its new department of Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine (TCAM) as part of activities marking the 2022 African Traditional Medicine Day with the theme: “Two Decades of African Traditional Medicine Day Towards Achieving Universal Health Coverage in Africa”.
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Presenting the award to the governor who was represented by Dr Ibrahim Muhammad Jawa, Chairman/CEO, MIJ College of traditional medicine & Acupuncture Ltd, the Minister of State for Health, Hon. Barr. Joseph Ekumankama noted that the award was in recognition of the extraordinary performance of Governor Buni’s administration in the health sector of the state.
The Minister equally applauded the governor, who was the Chairman of the occasion, for his support towards the successful hosting of the dinner/award night by the TCAM team.
Speaking to newsmen after receiving the award for the governor, Dr Jawa thanked the organisers, adding that health is one of the key sectors prioritised and being turned around by the Buni-led government.
He prayed that traditional medicine is integrated into the national healthcare delivery system as soon as possible.
Delivering the keynote address at the event, the Head, TCAM department, Ministry of Health, Pharm. (Mrs) Zainab U. Shariff who commended Governor Buni’s unalloyed commitment to turning the health sector around in Yobe State to noted that it was so amazing that the governor did not only agree to make himself available for the award and to chair the occasion upon request but also offered to sponsor the dinner.
According to her, Governor Buni was honoured with the Exceptional Service Award as the Best TCAM-Friendly Governor in Nigeria.
She spoke on the unique efficacy and potency of African traditional medicines, encouraging members of the public to embrace them for permanent solutions to the various ailments and afflictions being suffered to the extent of taking many people’s lives on the continent, stressing that many with such conditions could be saved if alternative therapies were accepted to complement the orthodox method.
She frowned at a situation whereby the traditional method which uses the gift of nature – herbs to heal people in a relatively easier way is demonised by the people themselves.
A letter of invitation for the award to the governor from the ministry which was sighted by Neptune Prime partly reads: “This is to convey the compliments of the Honourable Minister of State for Health and to also commend your support to the health sector in Yobe State.
“Your Excellency Sir, the Ministry also wishes to sincerely appreciate your immense contribution towards the 2022 African Traditional Medicine Day and to request your kind presence as the Chairman of the Dinner/Award Night Ceremony scheduled to take place on Friday, 24 September 2022 to commemorate the 2022 African Traditional Medicine Day where you will be conferred an Exceptional Service Award as the Best TCAM-Friendly Governor in Nigeria.
“Your Excellency Sir, your support and significant contribution have played a major role towards the preparation for activities to commemorate the 2022 African Traditional Medicine Day.”
Governor Buni was not alone, a host of notable and accomplished trado-medical practitioners and other stakeholders from across Nigeria whose contributions to the country’s health space were also recognised were equally honoured at the event with awards in different categories.
The African Traditional Medicine Day is a day earmarked by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to commemorate African Traditional Medicine which was declared during the African Union (AU) Summit of Africa Heads of State in the year 2001. It is celebrated annually on August 31% by countries in WHO African Region to promote the region’s Traditional Medicines and its integration into the National Healthcare Delivery System.
Every year, the Federal Ministry of Health celebrates African Traditional Medicine Day with a line-up of activities ranging from a ministerial press briefing on the theme of the year, to symposiums, and exhibitions of NAFDAC-listed herbal products amongst others. This year, the Ministry decided to scale up the commemoration to be a week-long international event with participants from other ECOWAS countries alongside other stakeholders in Traditional Complementary and Alternative Medicine such as practitioners, researchers, policymakers etc.
This year’s programme was held from 30th August to 2nd September 2022.
