Professor Kofi Awoonor, Chairman of the Council of State, has called on Ghanaians and medical establishments to respect traditional medicine as part of health delivery in Ghana.
He made this call in Accra when he chaired the commemoration of the 8th African Traditional Medicine Day organized by the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (GHAFTRAM).
He said that traditional medicine practitioners should strive to give reason to consumers nationwide to have trust in traditional medicines in health care delivery.
Prof. Awoonor said the orthodox and traditional medicine practices should now go together to support the health of the people, urging all stakeholders to be part and parcel of the programme and support “this new era’ to ensure that we all stay healthy.”
Dr. Benjamin Kunbour, Minister for Health said studies done last year, revealed that about 71 per cent of Ghanaians used herbal medicine at least once a year, of which some used it as first contact and in few cases, some people used it exclusively as the only cure for diseases.
He said it was a relief to see serious initiatives in the area of medicines development, clinical trials and integration of traditional medical systems into official health care delivery.
“We have a dedicated plant medicine research institution that has since inception in 1975, developed 35 herbal products, seven of which have reached stage-3 clinical trials,” he noted.
Dr. Kumbuor said the challenge now was to obtain partnership for financial, technical and material support to ensure progress in the ministry’s endeavour, and called on partners in the country and the diaspora to support the programme.
“We make this call against the backckdrop of existing gaps in our health care budget,” the Minister said.
In a speech read on his behalf, the president of GHAFTRAM, Mr. Louis Thomas Sambo said despite the mistrust, misconceptions and sometimes hatred by sections of the public, the Association had come a long way and had put traditional medicine at the forefront of the national agenda.
He called on government for more support in improving the quality of the medical products, expand the market, introduce modern pharmaceutical manufacturing practices and above all, integrate traditional medicine into the orthodox medical practice in medical centres.
Mr. Thomas Sambo however appealed to GHAFTRAM members to respond positively to government’s positive attitude towards the Association by improving their services; accept new ideas in their production processes, and also employ herbal medical practitioners produced by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
He made this call in Accra when he chaired the commemoration of the 8th African Traditional Medicine Day organized by the Ministry of Health, in conjunction with World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (GHAFTRAM).
He said that traditional medicine practitioners should strive to give reason to consumers nationwide to have trust in traditional medicines in health care delivery.
Prof. Awoonor said the orthodox and traditional medicine practices should now go together to support the health of the people, urging all stakeholders to be part and parcel of the programme and support “this new era’ to ensure that we all stay healthy.”
Dr. Benjamin Kunbour, Minister for Health said studies done last year, revealed that about 71 per cent of Ghanaians used herbal medicine at least once a year, of which some used it as first contact and in few cases, some people used it exclusively as the only cure for diseases.
He said it was a relief to see serious initiatives in the area of medicines development, clinical trials and integration of traditional medical systems into official health care delivery.
“We have a dedicated plant medicine research institution that has since inception in 1975, developed 35 herbal products, seven of which have reached stage-3 clinical trials,” he noted.
Dr. Kumbuor said the challenge now was to obtain partnership for financial, technical and material support to ensure progress in the ministry’s endeavour, and called on partners in the country and the diaspora to support the programme.
“We make this call against the backckdrop of existing gaps in our health care budget,” the Minister said.
In a speech read on his behalf, the president of GHAFTRAM, Mr. Louis Thomas Sambo said despite the mistrust, misconceptions and sometimes hatred by sections of the public, the Association had come a long way and had put traditional medicine at the forefront of the national agenda.
He called on government for more support in improving the quality of the medical products, expand the market, introduce modern pharmaceutical manufacturing practices and above all, integrate traditional medicine into the orthodox medical practice in medical centres.
Mr. Thomas Sambo however appealed to GHAFTRAM members to respond positively to government’s positive attitude towards the Association by improving their services; accept new ideas in their production processes, and also employ herbal medical practitioners produced by the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
