President Mahama recognises role of traditional medicine in health delivery
President John Mahama is personally driving the total integration of traditional medicine in the country’s public health delivery.
Mr Issac Ashai Odamtten, the Tema Metropolitan Chief Executive,who disclosed this, said many public health facilities are being incorporated with herbal medicine units to give patients another treatment alternative.
The MCE was speaking at the founder’s day celebration of Aponkye Clinic, a Traditional Medicine Clinic in Tema.
The occassion also marked the unveiling of the plaque of Nana Kojo Ntina who established the facility in 1970s.
Mr Odamtten said inclusion of a herbal Medicinal Unit at the Tema Polyclinic recently attest to the President’s appreciation of traditional medicine.
He asked traditional medical practitioners to improve on the packaging and dosage regime of their products by collaborating with government and research institutions.
According to him, Ghana stands to gain enormous foreign exchange by exporting traditional medicine as well as consuming it locally.
He said by consuming local herbal medicine, Ghanaians would be helping in the expansion and retention of indigenous medical knowledge which is fundamental and peculiar to the human condition of the Ghanaian.
Mr Kwasi Afriyie Badu, Board Chairman of the Clinic, called for the inclusion of traditional medical treatment on the National Health Insurance Scheme.
“We want to have greater interaction and cooperation with all aspects of the health regime so that traditional medicine can be fully integrated in the public health delivery.”
Dr John Yabani, Director,Tema Metropolitan Health Directory, commended Aponkyi Clinic for incorporating modern practices such weighing of children, laboratory and data collection in its operations.
Source: GNA