Traditional Healers Want Positive Change

Traditional healers and orthodox medical practitioners have never been good bedfellows. A few years ago a centre for the study of plant medicine was established, which brought smiles to the faces of traditional healers because they felt that formal recognition was coming their way at last.

Their hopes were dashed however when the Food and Drugs Board recently warned traditional healers against advertising their products through the media. The board was acting on Section 15 Schedule 2 of the PNDC Food and Drugs Law.

The traditional healers met at the Arts Centre in Accra on Wednesday to deliberate on the matter. According to an executive member, Dr. Nkrumah, producer of Top Herbal products, the association is arranging to meet the president, Mr. J.A. Kufuor over the issue.

The law prohibits traditional healers from advertising medication for, among other things, sexually transmitted diseases, tetanus, small pox and AIDS.

Dr. Nkrumah asked the authorities to take another look at the law. He agreed that the board was only doing its statutory duty and should not be faulted.

One of the healers asked his colleagues to be patient and take consolation from the history of akpeteshie. According to him, the colonial authorities prohibited the local gin for a long time, but things changed and now it is one of the most patronised alcoholic drinks in the country.

The intervention of a herbalist who expressed worry that President Kufuor did not mention anything about traditional medicine in his Sessional Address was rejected by another of his colleagues, who the president mentioned the subject subtly when he tackled the issue of health. He added that healers who are able to present proper and authentic business plans can access funds from central government.

The Secretary of the Association, Mr. Seglah warned against imitations. He asked traditional healers to desist from introducing chemicals into their preparations, which is against the conditions governing their practice. Some healers are known to use chemicals like chloroform in their preparations as a preservative.

He said 126 foreign companies have expressed interest in participating in the forthcoming traditional medicine fair in the country, and asked producers to seek the support of the secretariat on how to package their products for the event.

Traditional medicine or alternative medicine was being practiced before the introduction of western medicine, and many Ghanaians are turning to it because of the high cost of hospital treatment. Their wish, however is that a way be found to regulate the practice of traditional medicine. Although some efforts have been made in this direction, much has not been achieved. The suspicion between the orthodox and traditional groups continues. The orthodox medical practitioners do not accept that traditional medicine can cure certain ailments that are beyond the ken of orthodox doctors.

One of the herbalists called on President Kufuor to help traditional healers with positive change so that activities are accorded the needed recognition.