Zimbabwe legislators ratify establishment of African Medicines Agency

Instead of exporting them raw, it is my thinking that His Excellency, the President Cde. E. D. Mnangagwa has already proclaimed that one percent of our national GDP goes towards research and development.  It is my hope and view that we can include that money in terms of making sure we have a robust, resilient, effective and efficient beneficiation value adding chain of our natural medicines, instead of exporting that raw.

We have no greenhouses for these trees that we have and our natural medicines grow in the bush, as opposed to what happens in other countries like Europe and other entities.

Hon. Nduna signalling the Hon. Speaker.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  What is your problem? Why are you side tracked?

HON. NDUNA:  I think the Hon. Member has got a challenge.

THE HON. SPEAKER:  Hon?

HON. NDUNA: Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga has got a challenge.  She is actually weeping uncontrollably Mr. Speaker Sir.  May you allow your officers to attend to her?

Hon. Mavetera walks out of the House with Hon. Misihairabwi-Mushonga.

HON. NDUNA:  Having said that, it is my clarion call and fervent view that we can get more benefit from beneficiation of our natural medicines, as I have alluded to – that grow naturally within our midst.  In the same way, after domesticating this convention and treaty, we need to domesticate other treaties in the future, to make sure that we use our God given natural resources; minerals in particular so that one day we can use a gold coin, platinum dollar or diamond dollar as opposed to the United States dollar and all the papers because we are beneficiating and value adding our God-given ubiquitous amount of mineral wealth.

Having said that, I endorse the domestification of this treaty without any further ado.  I thank you.

HON. S. BANDA: I support the ratification of this critical issue because it is going to benefit Africans and it will ensure that we market our products to the whole world.

HON. MUDARIKWA:  I rise to support the ratification of the Convention of African Medicines.  In the interest of African Unity and in the interest of developing what we inherited from our forefathers that we must develop medicines produced in Africa for Africans; the august House approved a Statutory Instrument which was produced by the Ministry of Lands and Agriculture and the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare which had something to do with the production of marijuana for medicinal purposes.

Marijuana is an indigenous plant for indigenous people and it has got a lot of medicinal value.  By approving this treaty, we must also take into account that as participants of the treaty; what is it that we are giving to Africa and what is it that we are developing for the interest of the development of medicines in Africa.

In many instances, African medicine has been looked down upon by many people, with the exception of a few ones that are common which are sold on the streets.  Most of it is not available and there is no documentation which is critical for the development of anything.  If there is no documentation of anything, that whole thing is lost.  So I support and propose that this convention be ratified and all the Hon. Members in our constituencies need to get copies of this and then give this to our traditional healers so that they understand that they are part of this new Africa and new world where they must participate.  I thank you Mr. Speaker for allowing me to participate in from Uzumba Constituency.

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