The Ministry of Health has marked the 23rd African Traditional Medicine Day and the 26th Traditional Medicine Week to reflect the government’s commitment to improving research, safety, and the integration of herbal medicine into the national health system.
The event which took place yesterday, in Accra, was on the theme, “Strengthening the Evidence Base for Traditional Medicine.”
Speaking on behalf of the Health Minister, Mr Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, the Director of Traditional and Alternative Medicine, Dr Anastasia Yirenkyi, said that the MoH is committed to advance evidence-based traditional medicine to support national health and economic development.
She highlighted the roles of the Centre for Plant Medicine Research, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, the University of Ghana, and the University of Health and Allied Sciences, in collaboration with the Food and Drugs Authority and the Traditional Medicine Practice Council, in ensuring the quality of products and adherence to ethical practices.
The President of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Associations and Chairman of the Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC), Prof. Samuel Ato Duncan, noted the significant progress of the association which included the licensing of over 6,000 practitioners, certification of more than 50 herbal manufacturing facilities, and the establishment of traditional medicine units in 55 district hospitals.
He acknowledged ongoing challenges, including resource constraints and public misconceptions and called for stronger collaboration, increased funding, and better protection of traditional knowledge.
Grace Acheampong, ISD
