The novel coronavirus disease broke out in December 2019 in Wuhan Province in China. Since then over four million people have been infected worldwide. The entire globe has come to stagnation. Every human activity has been seriously affected by the pandemic. However, it is worthy of note that nature with all other living things is rejuvenating and flourishing. It explains that human activities have sometimes had lethal effects on nature and the environment.
Among the numerous elements of the natural environment are medicinal plants. Their relevance more than ever has been revealed to populations which hitherto had taken their existence only for the enhancement of green vegetation. Medicinal plants have been lifesavers from ancient times. The eyes of the world are gradually being opened to the reality that there is a cure in nature.
That notwithstanding, many in the world still seek to find a cure to the COVID-19 pandemic elsewhere. Different medications have been proposed and are being tried. Chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine have long known for use in the treatment of malaria are being employed in the COVID-19 fight. In addition, it is the strong antibiotic azithromycin being added to the treatment.
It is interesting that these were proposed by western countries and in a matter of hours, Africa and Africans hailed the treatment regime as the best for managing COVID-19. Something that was meant to be tried was welcomed with applause without questioning the harmful effects they pose to essential organs such as the heart in the human body. As the world still journeys for a search for a cure, then came Madagascar and their president Andry Rajoelina with claims of a cure from a very important collection of herbs.
To the surprise of many in a world that searches for a cure and that keeps trying long-abandoned medications like chloroquine on patients, the World Health Organization (WHO) refused to endorse, encourage, and ended up disparaging the product made by an African country to fight COVID-19. More astonishing was that regional blocks such as ECOWAS followed the path of WHO in disregarding what their own brother was bold enough to bring out. Notwithstanding, Madagascar continued to chalk successes in the COVID-19 fight recording fewer rates of infections and zero death.
The foregoing events could not move the world enough. However, countries like Ghana renowned for their development in traditional medicine with a strong federation of practitioners had begun a discourse with its Ministry of Health to allow the use of Traditional Ghanaian Medicine (TGM) in the COVID-19 fight in Ghana. Some light was seen when the Ministry agreed to accept samples of herbal medicines to be tested in research labs for safety and probably for efficacy. Though it was an encouragement to note this event, it was still distressing in the fact that some of these herbal medications had already gone through all needed analyses and were being used to treat respiratory tract infections (RTIs). Their forthright use in a related disease with common symptoms of RTIs was expected but it did not happen. All herbal medicine samples were sent to the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR) and it took over 6 weeks for results of analysis to come out in a time that more infections were recorded in Ghana.
Worthy of note, people continued to use herbal home remedies whereas the nation refused to accept herbal medicines already certified by the Food and Drugs Authority questioning efficacy and safety in a time when no questions were raised for others such as chloroquine.
Numerous questions were being raised by patrons of traditional medicine. Madagascar is making strides and many were disregarding, GHAFTRAM has been pushing for use of herbal medicines and the government seems to be dragging its feet whereas medicines announced by the USA were being hailed without questions being raised. Currently the US has announced the use of remdesivir as an experimental antiviral drug for use in the COVID-19 fight. In a matter of days, the world will swim around that too and sadly enough Ghana and Africa will be part.
What makes the country fail to see the reality that many are taking to herbal remedies? What makes the government continues to pay lips service in the use of TGM? Why the signs of hypocrisy written on the wall and faces of so many who in private use TGM but publicly condemn them?
Why the delay in the use of herbal medicines when they have proven to be helpful among many who even contracted the disease?
It is about time some seriousness is seen from the country if it desires to end COVID-19 soon. How about a mass testing of the population so that those found positive and asymptomatic put on herbal remedies? How about the involvement of the herbal medicine professionals in the Ghana Association of Medical Herbalists? Of what use will it be to a nation touted for successes in traditional medicine if it fails to employ its use in such a dire situation like COVID-19.
Does the nation want people to survive COVID-19? It cannot disregard traditional medicine in the manner being done. It is time for Ghana and Africa to walk the talk.
Owusu Yankyera
Member, Ghana Association of Medical Herbalists
Great piece, we actually need to get serious as a continent to foster our agenda not some people’s. We must show we are truly independent to handle our healthcare the way we know.
Herbal Medicine can cure Covid-19, Africa must get serious
Exactly Bro
We must get very serious
Great piece, we actually need to get serious as a continent to foster our agenda not some people’s. We must show we are truly independent to handle our healthcare the way we know.
Herbal Medicine can cure Covid-19
Hmmmmm. It’s sad. I think that the problem has to be from the Medical Herbalist Association, or the association in charge of traditional medicines.
The association must be strong enough to influence the Ghana Health Service.
There is politics behind healthcare and politicians always would look at how much would reach their pocket first.
This is why you wont expect the MoH to accept Herbal medicine as treatment because the money that medicine from outside would generate would be more that that which herbal medicine would generate.
People are in for money and not truely to help mankind. This is a hard truth
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