A United States–based Nigerian medical doctor and Chief Executive Officer of Optimal Health USA, Dr. Abraham Hollist, has called on the National Assembly and state legislatures to strengthen laws regulating the use of alternative medicine in Nigeria.
Dr. Hollist explained that better legislation would attract more qualified practitioners into the field, reduce government spending on healthcare, and improve citizens’ access to affordable and effective treatment. He emphasized that alternative medicine holds great potential to prevent many avoidable deaths and enhance the nation’s overall healthcare system.
Speaking during the launch of a three-day health awareness outreach in Surulere, Lagos, organized by Optimal Health in partnership with the Peacemakers Community Development Foundation, the Howard University graduate shared that his personal experiences inspired his commitment to natural medicine and community service.
He recounted how he lost a close friend to sickle cell disease during his childhood in Nigeria and later discovered that his son had been diagnosed with the same condition in the United States. Through extensive research, he found natural methods to manage the illness before his son eventually underwent a bone marrow transplant.
According to Hollist, that experience motivated him to explore the healing power of natural remedies, which led to the establishment of Optimal Health USA. He said the outreach was his way of giving back to the community where he was born and raised, helping residents gain awareness about natural and preventive healthcare solutions.