Govt to initiate bill on traditional medical practice

Wa, July 20, GNA - The Government will consider initiating a bill for the Parliament to pass into law to guide and regulate traditional medical practice and healing in the country.

Such legislation will cover bio-prospecting, biodiversity and intellectual property rights to enable traditional medical practitioners to offer efficient service and to derive more benefits from their practice.

Mr David Yakubu, Upper West Regional Co-ordinating Director, announced this at a workshop on medicinal plants for 30 traditional healers from the Region at Wa on Monday.

The participants were taught how to plant medicinal plants and handle, package and market traditional medicine.

Mr Yakubu said workshops were being organised for registered members of the Ghana Traditional Healers Association in the Northern, Upper West and Upper East Regions, under the Northern Savannah Biodiversity Conservation Project.

The Regional Co-ordinating Director who is also the immediate past administrator of the project, expressed regret that though foreigners obtained information from local traditional medical practitioners for the manufacturing of orthodox drugs and medicines they did not pay royalties.

Mr Yakubu on behalf of the Upper West Regional Minister, Mr Sahanun Mogtari presented items donated by the Government to the regional branch of the Association.

They included 15 bicycles, raincoats, garden tools, a water-pumping machine, cutlasses, plastic chairs, and poly bags for nursing seedlings.

Naa Bob Loggah, Patron of the association and Executive Director of Suntaa Nuutaa Agro Forestry Project, thanked the authorities for the donation.