Environmental association wants herbs, natural juices assessed
The Malawi Environmental Health Association (Meha) has written the Medicine and Poisons Board expressing shock over the influx of natural herbs and natural juices on the market.
The body said some of the herbal juices are not certified by the Malawi Bureau of Standards (MBS) and warned that the natural herbs and natural ‘healing’ juices if left unchecked and monitored may be lethal.
In a letter signed by Meha president Elias Chimulambe, the association has requested the two organisations to conduct inspections to premises of those producing, manufacturing, distributing and selling the natural herb products and natural herb ‘healing’ juices.
“Meha has also established that some of these institutions producing, manufacturing, promoting, selling, and distributing natural herbs, natural herb ‘healing’ juice do not have licenses to produce, distribute and sell the products. [We are] are ready to support in the inspection exercise, said Chimulambe in the letter. Recently, the Malawi Network of People Living with HIV and Aids (Manet+) also condemned the tendency by some faith leaders and herbal medicine dealers who tell people on antiretroviral therapy (ART) to default treatment.
