Addressing Tooro Kingdom officials in Muchwa Fort Portal city on Wednesday, Dr. Bitekyerezo cited an example of Kibaale Forest, which he said is home to a variety of different medicinal trees and herbs that are being cut down for timber and charcoal.
He adds that this has forced NDA to work with the kingdom to ensure that these trees that have medical properties are preserved.
Tooro Kingdom has partnered with the National Drug Authority-NDA to conserve and preserve medicinal trees and
herbs in the kingdom. The Chairperson, Dr. Merdard Bitekyerezo, said that Tooro is blessed with
good natural vegetation and a conducive climate that favors the growth of different medicinal trees.
Addressing Tooro Kingdom officials in Muchwa Fort Portal city on Wednesday, Dr. Bitekyerezo cited an example of Kibaale Forest, which he said is home to a variety of different medicinal trees and herbs that are being cut down for timber and charcoal. He says that this has prompted NDA to work
with the kingdom to ensure that the medicinal trees are
preserved.
“These institutions are powerful and People
believe in them, so it would be easier to sensitize the public through institutions
they believe in," he said. Dr. Bitekyerezo revealed that president
Museveni recently advised NDA to start extracting medicine from indigenous
trees instead of depending on European and Indian markets.
//Cue in: “ And our major...
Cue out:... extracting of drugs.”//
Steven Kiyingi, the Tooro Kingdom Prime
Minister said that the kingdom is ready to pattern not only with NDA but also with the central government to improve the health standard of the people of Tooro. Kiyingi said that the kingdom will organize
herbalists in the region for further training by the NDA on how they should be
handling and supplying herbal medicine.
//Cue in: “ We are very...
Cue out: ... services in Uganda.”//
NDA and Tooro Kingdom have drafted a
Memorandum of Understanding and a committee has been set up to scrutinize it before it is signed to formalize the partnership. In November last year, Tooro Kingdom
and NDA entered a partnership to curb the illegal use of drugs.
