Emelia Ennin Abbey
Stakeholders in the traditional medicine sector have been urged to collaborate and advocate the full integration of traditional medicine into Ghana’s healthcare system for effective healthcare delivery.
This is expected to give traditional medicine higher recognition for its contribution to the health and well-being of people.
The President of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (GHAFTRAM), Prof. Samuel Ato Duncan, made the call last Thursday at the GHAFTRAM 2023 annual awards in Accra
The event, which was preceded by an exhibition of some products and innovations of some traditional medicine practitioners and researchers, was themed: “Traditional Medicine, Improving our Health, Prospering our Nation Beyond Aid”.
Prof. Duncan commended the government for supporting the traditional medicine sector through the establishment of 55 herbal units in some hospitals in the country.
He said even though that was not enough, “it is a significant achievement worth celebrating”.
Challenges
Traditional medicine, he said, had enormous potential to improve the health sector and contribute to the prosperity of the nation.
“Through the use of traditional medicines, we can improve access to health care services, especially in rural areas where access to modern medicine may be limited,” he said.
He said although traditional medicine practitioners played a major role in the socioeconomic development of the nation, they were faced with a number of challenges that militated against and impeded their quest to achieve excellence.
Media partnership
The President of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA), Albert Kwabena Dwumfour, stated that the efforts of members of the association were significant to facilitate the growth of Ghana’s health sector.
“Apart from improving health, traditional medicine also helps generate income and revenue for the state.
It can also help to generate foreign exchange.
This can help solve the current revenue challenges facing the country,” he said.
He, therefore, called for a national stakeholder engagement to deliberate on how to grow the traditional medicine sector.
Mr. Dwumfour commended GHAFTRAM for working over the years to rebrand traditional medicine and developing a number of effective products.
The GJA, he said, would continue to support the growth of the traditional medicine sector in Ghana by using the various media platforms available to it to champion the promotion and the use of traditional medicine.
Awards
As part of recognizing and honoring the exceptional work of traditional medicine practitioners in Ghana, Samuel Adjani Jimah was adjuged the Best Traditional Medicine Practitioner, while the Best Clinic of the Year went to Kwayisi Christian Herbal Clinic.
The immediate past President of the association, William Odum Eduful, received a leadership award and GH¢50,000. At the same time, Elizabeth Adai Torgbor was named the Best Traditional Medicine Researcher of the Year, with Daniel Adjetey receiving the Best Psychic Practitioner Award.
The Best Anti-malaria Drug was Rooter Mixture; the Immune Booster of the Year was CD Caps; the Best Traditional Medicine for Piles was Akwantuo Koo Mixture, and the Best Herbal Product for Skin Rashes was Manya Soap.
The Most Developed Traditional Medicine Company award went to Agbeve Herbal Clinic; while the Best Herbal Ointment for Pain Relief was Chocho ointment.
The Aponche Memorial Herbal Clinic was named the Most Recognised Bone Setting Clinic of the Year; the Hepatitis B Clinic of the Year went to Power Specialist Clinic; the Most Recognised Sciatica Clinic of the Year was the 21st Clinic; the Traditional medicine supportive NGO of the year was COA, Global Peace Mission and the most recognize prostate clinic of the year was Amen Scientific Herbal and Alternate Hospital.
The most recognized traditional medicine facility for the management of the eye was Odopee Herbal Research Centre, Gracegift Herbal Clinic received the golden award for the development of traditional medicine, while the most recognized traditional medicine fertility clinic was Cathedral Herbal & Fertility Clinic, with the most recognized stroke clinic going to Edu Herbal Clinic and the best plant medicinal farmer of the year going to Jacob Ashun Junior.
