Minister Blade Nzimande welcomes the visit by the WHO technical team on traditional medicines to South Africa

The Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande, welcomes the visit by the World Health organisation (WHO) technical team on traditional medicines to South Africa.

A panel of experts from the World Health Organisation focussing on Traditional African Medicines is visiting South Africa led by the WHO Regional office for Africa.

The technical mission also includes officials from the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership, the African Union Commission, and the WHO Regional Expert Advisory Committee on Traditional Medicine for Covid-19 Response (REACT).

The WHO REACT has been visiting African countries that are conducting clinical trials on African Herbal Medicines for COVID-19, e.g., Madagascar, Nigeria, Ghana, Senegal, Uganda. South Africa is one of the two countries in the African Region, apart from Tanzania that are conducting multicenter clinical trials.

Minister Nzimande, said the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), has made significant investment in using traditional African medicine against Covid-19 and the investment has seen significant research being conducted.

“Two multi-herbal formulations and three mono-herbs reached essential pre-clinical stages, PHELA, was approved by the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) for clinical trials,” said the Minister Nzimande.

The WHO will visit among others these clinical trial sites and will also visit the African Medicines Health Research Unit of the University of the Free State (UFS), funded by the DSI. At the end of the mission a report will be produced and presented to the WHO and relevant stakeholders.

For more information, please contact Veronica Mohapeloa at 083 400 5750 or veronica.mohapeloa@dst.gov.za

Source: Government of South Africa