*CONGRATULATIONS* The Tanzania Deputy Minister for Livestock and Fisheries Development, Ms Pauline Gekul has commended the ongoing research at Sokoine University of Agriculture, which has led to production of useful natural antibacterial products. The research, led Dr Gaymary Bakari from the Department of Veterinary Physiology, Biochemistry and Pharmacology, has ventured on using extracts from an indigenous tree, Commiphora swynnertonii to treat different wound and skin infectious conditions |
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Speaking recently at the closing ceremony of the 38th Tanzania Veterinary Association Conference, the newly appointed deputy minister, who is also the member of Parliament for Babati constituency in Manyara region expressed her appreciation on the efforts and expertise shown by the scientist and her team, with the great assistance from her University in bringing answers to the chronic health problems facing the society. |
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Ms Gekul promised that the government will provide all necessary assistance to Dr Gaymary and her team to ensure the research continues and expands to reach higher goals. She welcomed the scientists to the ministry house in Dodoma where, with the ministry experts will deliberate on how to facilate and promote the research and the products |
Earlier, speaking at the event, Dr Gaymary mentioned how she got interest in researching on the tree and developing the products. Dr Gaymary pointed out that she knew for long time that the tree had been used traditionally by Maasai people in Manyara for curing different illnesses. When she got a chance for PhD research, the experienced academic focused on the tree and after series of studies, she realised the potentials of the tree in curing bacterial and viral infections in chickens. |
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Dr Gaymary elaborated further that after finishing the PhD, she still had interest on exploring the potentials of the tree. She stated that fortunately, in 2018, she won a highly competitive AESA-RISE Post-doctoral fellowship, funded by the African Academy of Science. Through the fellowship, and with assistance from the Sokoine University of Agriculture, Dr Gaymary and her team have succeeded to develop and test different formulae products constituting the tree extract, which have shown to be very useful to humans and livestock. |
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Among the products that have been developed and will be available for public use include wound spray, wound gel, mouth wash, dermatological cream and dermatological soap |