The National Drug Authority (NDA) on Tuesday trained more than 50 herbalists and herbal product manufacturers from the East Acholi sub-region on product notification, licensing, ethical advertising, and quality standards as part of efforts to regulate and improve the safety of herbal medicines in Uganda. Enoch Ntulume, an Inspector of Products in the Directorate of Product Assessment and Registration at NDA, said the exercise was intended to help herbalists understand the authority’s mandate and the requirements for producing and marketing herbal medicines.
“The National Drug Authority is mandated to ensure that the medicines used by Ugandans are of good quality, safe, and efficacious. We know that a large proportion of the population uses herbal medicine, and that is why we are conducting sensitization meetings across the country,” Ntulume said. According to Ntulume, the training forms part of ongoing efforts to standardize herbal medicine and ensure that herbal products on the market meet national safety requirements.
He noted that while traditional medicine remains widely used in Uganda, many herbal products are yet to be formally notified to the NDA. “Currently, we have more than 400 locally manufactured herbal products that have been notified. However, we believe the number can be much higher because about 60 percent of the population uses herbal medicine,” he said.
Ntulume explained that NDA’s focus is on herbal products manufactured for commercial purposes and intended for widespread public use, rather than home remedies prepared for personal consumption. He said the authority is working with herbalists across the country to improve the quality, safety, and effectiveness of their products through continuous support and supervision.
He also highlighted the economic potential of Uganda’s herbal medicine industry, urging practitioners to embrace innovation and research. “Herbal medicine can contribute positively to economic growth through employment creation and foreign exchange earnings. Uganda has valuable medicinal plants and herbal remedies that can be commercialized if handled properly,” Ntulume said.
He identified research and innovation as major gaps in the sector, noting that many herbal practices continue to rely largely on knowledge passed down through generations. “Whereas the practice is still dependent on inheritance from one generation to another, embracing science, research, and innovation can improve both the knowledge of herbalists and the quality of their products,” he added.
Ketty Arach, a herbalist from Okol Parish in Mucwini Sub County, has been administering herbal medicine for three years, after the knowledge was passed to her by her 98-year-old grandmother. According to Arach, she has been administering herbs for epilepsy, stomachache, dental caries, snake and scorpion bites.
She said the training is vital to her because she lacked the knowledge of keeping the herbs clean and the procedures to follow, so that her herbs are known and used beyond her village. Achiro said the training has already enlightened her on the need for honesty when dealing with patients, especially when their condition is critical and beyond her capacity to handle.
“If someone comes to you seeking treatment, first assess their condition carefully. If you determine that the case is beyond your capacity, do not attempt to treat them. They may be critically ill, and if their condition worsens or they die under your care, it could create serious consequences for you,” Arach said.
Bruce Ayella, a herbalist who has been in the trade since 2016, welcomed the initiative, saying it would help improve public confidence in herbal medicines while supporting practitioners to comply with national regulations.
Ayella said he was inspired to start researching and giving herbal medicine after he was healed by herbal medicine twice, when conventional medicine failed to help him. According to Ayella, he used to put information labels on the herbal containers, mentors, and studied a Diploma in Herbal Medicine in 2018, to get more knowledge in the field, as he continues to administer various herbs.
Ayella, however, said one of the main challenges faced by herbalists who want to register their herbs is the high cost of registering a herb, which he says can amount to one million shillings, and involves movements to several offices, which many cannot afford.
He appealed to the government to regionalize the registration of herbal medicine, and consider setting a standard, but affordable rate, to support the herbalists who are mostly not well educated and have limited financial capacity but have remedies for various ailments.
Ntulume said they will continue conducting follow-up support and supervision visits to ensure herbal manufacturers and practitioners apply the knowledge acquired during the training, to strengthen the herbal medicine sector, and contribute to both public health and economic development-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
