A fund for plant medicine research advocated

Professor Yao Tettey, Provost of the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana has called for the institution of a “Plant Medicine Fund” to enable the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR) to research into safe and efficacious medicines for use.

He said the proposed Fund, which should be sponsored by government and other stakeholders, would also enable the Centre to deliver on its mandate and assume its rightful place in plant medicine research and development in Ghana.

Prof Tetley made the call when the Minister of Health Mr Alex Segbefia inaugurated a nine-member Board for the Centre in Accra on Friday.

He said traditional medicines needs to be researched into to ensure its efficacy, properties, safety and the dosage.

“But research is very expensive and the Cenre needs to be resourced and supported to have the appropriate equipment such activities, since, research support to the Centre is almost non-existent.”

The Board of Centre, which has Prof Tettey as the Chair, would have to collaborate with the Traditional Medicine Practice Council, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the Ghana Health Service to train qualified manpower in herbal medicine and be actively involved in public and stakeholder engagements for the promotion of plant medicine.

Prof Tettey noted that plant medicine has become important in the health care delivery system complementing orthodox medicines at a time when microbial organisms are developing resistance to some available drugs.

He enumerated the challenges facing the Centre, which the Board would help to address as inadequate infrastructure base, limited scientific equipment, among others.

He said the Board would work hard to ensure that CPMR performs creditably to provide adequate scientific basis and applied data on herbal medicine, produce quality and safe herbal medicines for the public use, ensure that herbal practitioners adhere to good practices, train and practitioners and manufacturers and provide sustainable raw material base for the industry.

Mr Segbefia assured the Board members of the Ministry’s assistance to facilitate the achievement of the objectives to improve the performance and output of the Centre.