The paramount chief of the Akwamu Traditional Area, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, has stressed the need to prepare African traditional medicines under conducive environments.
He said traditional medicine has been instrumental globally in diagnosing, treating, and preventing various illnesses, based on sound knowledge, beliefs, skills, and experiences of indigenous cultures.
Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III made the statement at the 20th Anniversary of the African Traditional Medicine Day and the 23rd Traditional Medicine Week of Ghana.
He was speaking as Chairman for the commemoration of the event held on Thursday, November 17, 2022.
The traditional ruler while acknowledging the contribution of traditional medicine to the health sector underscored the need to treat it in the hygienic environment it deserves.
“First, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the use of traditional medicine as appropriate and especially in areas and under the appropriate circumstances – such as determined by distance and availability.”
He added, “villages, hamlets, and farmsteads are scattered all over our various traditional areas of Ghana (and Africa) and some traditional medicines will always be handy to treat emergencies and regular ailments.”
Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III was happy that over the past two decades, traditional medicine has evolved with its development guided by sound policies and organised structures.
These highlighted structures include registration and regulation of practitioners, encouragement of practitioners to organise themselves into specific areas of practice, creating public awareness, and removing negative perceptions of the use of traditional medicines.
To mention a few, he also recognised the promotion of good practice from production to end user as well as the collaboration with national health authorities to integrate traditional medicine into the national health system.
Owing to these contributing factors he said, “Once we accept the efficacy of our traditional medicines in principle, we must endeavor to ensure that they are prepared under acceptable conditions fit for use by persons as regulated.
“We, therefore require drug manufacturing facilities to be up and doing; and going with this, educational facilities (at each district) to keep augmenting health staff to a much-needed standard,” the Akwamumanhene urged.
He also called on the government to constantly monitor all herbal products promoted by the electronic media (radio stations) to ensure they pass through the requirement processes of the Food and Drugs Authority ( FDA).
He added, obliging to that requirements, traditional medicine can be rest assured of curing because they are “sometimes better than some imported medicaments” when used under proper medical guidance.
That notwithstanding, he asked the media to support the government in ensuring that the appropriate certifications go with each product advertised.
“We urge broadcasters who advertise some of our traditional medicines in rather superlative terms to ensure the appropriate certifications go with each product advertised.”
