Minister of Health, Community, Development, Gender and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu
The Traditional and Alternative Medicine
Act of 2002 prohibits practitioners in the field to advertise their
products and facilities. Only adverts approved by the Traditional and
Alternative Health Practices Council (TAHPC) are allowed.
However, some of the herbalists have
been presenting to television and radio stations different programmes
and promotions not approved by the council,” the Minister for Health,
Community Development, Gender, Elderly and Children, Ms Ummy Mwalimu,
observed.
It is against this backdrop that the
government has informed the police force and the Tanzania Communications
Regulatory Authority (TCRA) to take appropriate action against the
herbalists as well as respective television and radio stations.
A follow up by this newspaper has found
out that even the recently deregistered traditional and alternative
clinics have continued to air special programmes on television stations,
particularly the Dar es Salaam-based Channel Ten and Star TV.
The Registrar of TAHPC, Dr Ruth Suza,
told the ‘Daily News’ in a telephone interview that the council was of
aware of the disobedience by the herbalists. “The council is aware of
the issue and working on it, you will be informed on the way forward,”
Dr Suza said in a brief text message.
Contacted for comment, the owner of
Foreplan Clinic, which was recently deregistered by the council, Mr Juma
Mwaka, neither responded to repeated phone calls nor text messages. The
News Editor with Channel Ten, Ms Dina Chahali, said she was not the
spokesperson of the TV station and referred this reporter to the
Programme Manager, Mr Nick Ngonyani, who did not pick his phone.
The Spokesperson of the Police Force, Ms
Advera Bulimba, said she was not in the office and hence was not
updated whether the law enforcement organ had received the letter from
the government.
Mid this week, Mr Mwaka, who refers to
himself as Dr Mwaka, continued to promote his products through a special
programme on Channel Ten, displaying phone numbers, which appear to
show that he would be operating from Mozambique.
Sources privy to his business confided
to this newspaper that after he had his operating licence as a herbalist
revoked he has registered another company known as Foreplan Company
Tanzania Limited, which has taken over from Foreplan Clinic.
“(Dr) Mwaka now describes his new
company as one dealing with cosmetics and food nutrients; he is
apparently evading the long arm of the law since the new company is not
subjected to provisions of the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act
of 2002,” the source stated.
Last week, the TAHPC deregistered three
traditional and alternative clinics and suspended provision of services
of other three clinics due to violation of the regulations, policy and
guidelines set by the council. The banned clinics include Foreplan
Clinic, owned by Juma Mwaka, Fadhaget Sanitarium Clinic, owned by Fadhil
Kabujanja and Mandai Herbal Clinic owned by Abdallah Mandai.
The Chairperson of the Council, Dr
Edmund Kayombo, said then that the decision was reached after it was
found out that some advertisements and promotion materials by the
clinics through several radio and television stations did not have the
council’s approval.
Dr Kayombo noted that the herbalists and
alternative medicine practitioners have continued to campaign and
promote natural remedies and alternative treatments to the public,
contrary to law and regulations. In the same vein, the council suspended
three clinics from providing services for six months.
They include Msigwa Herbal Clinic, owned by Simon Rusigwa, and Lupimo Sanitarium Clinic, owned by John Lupimo.
According to the legislation, herbalists
are supposed to ensure that before sending advertisements to the media;
they must first be screened and approved by the council.
Moreover, information relating to
natural cure and alternative treatment must be reviewed by the council
before they reach the public
No comments :
Post a Comment