An Associate Professor of Public Health, Uchechukwu M. Chukwuocha, has recommended continuous research on efficacy of “Whole plant therapies” as alternative treatment for malaria, endemic infections and non-communicable diseases, due to their rich theraupeutic medicinal properties’ content.

He also called for massive farming and cultivation of the plants mechanically by farmers and those who have the skill and equipment in view of its usefulness.

Prof. Chukwuocha, who is the acting Head, Department of Public Health, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), made the recommendations in his 71- page presentation at the 35th public lecture series, titled: “Indigenous Solutions for Global Health Challenges: The Potentials of Whole Plant Therapies as alternative Antimalarials,” held at the institution.

He described organic plant as, “a plant therapy that involves the intact plant without removing any part of its constituents either by infusion or extraction or any other means.”

The don recommended that a test and diagnosis must be conducted on a patient in an equipped laboratory, before treatment commences, saying, the dried and milled leaves of the whole plant could be orally consumed.

He lamented that one of the biggest problems facing control of malaria has been parasites (plasmodium infected by anopheles mosquito bites) resistance to anti malaria drugs. “Resistance to anti malaria drugs is one of the biggest problems currently facing malarial control. It is compounded by cross resistance in which resistance to one drug confers resistance to another.”

Chukwuocha said the Cymbopogoncitratus plant, also known as Lemon Grass locally, still has its efficacy in curing malaria. He informed that his research, using experimental animals like rodents, to demonstrate the efficacy of that is glaring fact, noting that even the mutation, was still going on.

He said: “We have carried out some studies, demonstrating the potential of whole plant therapies thereby contributing to evidence that may eventually lead to the consideration of adopting and recommending these therapies for malaria prevention and treatment.”

“These studies on the antimalarial potentials of whole plant therapies and the results presented are only research in progress, and do not in any way recommend their use for treatment of malaria.”

He noted that to achieve positive outputs in research and future it holds for Nigeria, there should be committed synergy between researchers, policy makers and industry owners to ensure that medical breakthroughs in whole plant therapies are translated into policies that would cascade in massive industrial production.

In her speech, the Vice Chancellor of FUTO, Prof. Nnenna Oti, described Chukwuocha, as a scholar and academic who has distinguished himself, urging the audience to assimilate what the lecturer had presented, urging the relevant authorities and policy makers to take his recommendations seriously.