Nollywood actor Jigan Ijewane has called on the government to urgently regulate the activities of herbal practitioners offering unverified treatments to cancer patients.
Jigan made the call while reacting to reports surrounding veteran actor Ogogo’s Stage 4 cancer diagnosis, following appeals from his children for assistance after they reportedly said the hospital was unable to administer chemotherapy.
Reacting to the development, Jigan warned against what he described as the growing commercialization of traditional medicine, particularly on social media.
In a post and his page, he said:
“Until they kpai one Herbalist, the rest wouldn’t rest, because I don’t know why some people are turning our Herbal tradition medicine into making money and pushing people to lose their lives. Something needs to be done now.”
The actor also recounted his family’s experience with cancer, revealing that his elder sister was diagnosed with the disease last year.
According to Jigan, his sister was advised to seek hospital treatment but allegedly rejected the recommendation after receiving advice from herbal practitioners. He said she eventually died after following the herbal treatment.
Jigan expressed concern that some individuals were allegedly exploiting vulnerable patients by promoting herbal remedies for serious illnesses without adequate medical knowledge or evidence of effectiveness.
He further called on the government and relevant authorities to intervene, warning that the situation could lead to more avoidable deaths if left unchecked.
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