By Polycarp Nwaeke
The Director of INAPOW Clinic, Professor Peter E. Ekpe, on Saturday celebrated the 27th anniversary of HA19, a herbal remedy he formulated in 1999, during a ceremony held at the clinic’s premises in Aleto Eleme, Rivers State.
The event attracted a large gathering of supporters, traditional leaders, patients, friends and well-wishers, including members of the Akwa Ibom Committee of Friends, an umbrella body of Akwa Ibom people resident in Rivers State, where Professor Ekpe serves as the Great Grand Patron.
Among those in attendance were individuals who said they had received treatment from the renowned traditional medicine practitioner over the years.
Some participants, including people living with HIV, shared personal testimonies, saying they experienced significant improvements in their health and reductions in their viral load following treatment at the clinic.
Speaking at the anniversary, the President of the Akwa Ibom Committee of Friends and the Traditional Leader of Akwa Ibom people living in Rivers State, who is also the association’s Grand Patron, praised Professor Ekpe for what they described as his commitment to using traditional herbal knowledge to improve the health and well-being of many people.
Professor Ekpe, an alchemist and traditional medicine practitioner who combines herbal remedies with spiritual healing, also oversees a spiritual healing church located within the INAPOW Clinic premises.
Addressing guests, he expressed gratitude to God for what he described as the success of HA19 over the past 27 years.
“I give thanks to God because HA19 is an antiviral herbal remedy, not an antiretroviral. It fights viruses hidden in the body, including HIV and COVID-19,” he said.
He attributed the development of the herbal formulation to years of research into natural medicine, arguing that ancient civilizations enjoyed longer lifespans because they lived in harmony with nature.
“Nature provides everything humanity needs for nourishment and healing. I went into research, discovered HA19 and prepared it with different herbs. Apart from HIV, it also helps to boost the immune system,” he said.
Professor Ekpe further claimed that laboratory tests and patient outcomes demonstrated the effectiveness of the herbal preparation.
He recalled appearing before the House Committee on Herbs at the National Assembly in Abuja in 2000, where he said he presented documents and hospital reports in support of his claims regarding the remedy.
He expressed concern that indigenous medical innovations often receive less recognition than conventional medicine, insisting that African herbal knowledge deserves greater acceptance and support.
“The medicine is working. We are healthy and happy. Nature can help us live longer if we return to it and embrace what God has provided,” he said.
The anniversary celebration featured goodwill messages, prayers and the presentation of testimonies by patients and supporters who commended Professor Ekpe’s work in traditional medicine. Professor Peter E. Ekpe, an indigene of Akwa Ibom State, has remained a prominent figure in traditional medicine and herbal research, while continuing to serve as the Great Grand Patron of the Akwa Ibom Committee of Friends.