Several professors and researchers made key note speeches and scientific papers. Among them, Professor Suleman Sultan from Jimma University Institute of Pharmaceuticals appreciated ASTU’s initiative and encouraged the university to realize this ambitious and decisive milestone. He reiterated that there is a gap in taking this issue at national level. The professor reiterated that ASTU shall shoulder this national agenda. The scholar made it evident that this field has got a potential for huge investment as over four billion people across the globe depend on it. Professor Suleman has vowed to support IPS in realize this overarching project. All presenters emphasized the need to enhance the role of traditional medicine in the national healthcare system.
The workshop which was organized by Adama Science and Technology University Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (IPS) was attended by scholars from different organizations, research centers and universities from across the country.
Dr. Alemu Dissasa, vice president for research and technology transfer, made the opening speech. Dr. Alemu in his speech disclosed that the mega project being launched is part of the commitment of ASTU to meeting the overreaching national imitative of tapping into the potential of Ethiopian traditional herbal and aromatics medicinal plants.
Dr. Alemu also highlighted ASTU's emphasis on establishing twelve laboratories equipped with state-of-the-art facilities to enable this institute to conduct their frontier research in the discovery of active pharmaceutical ingredients, processing, manufacturing, and drug formulation, and in biological evaluation of the discovered medicines. The project will help in realizing Dembela botanic garden in the center of Adama City.