The Acting Registrar of the Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC), Dr (MH). Yakubu Tobor Yusuf has said traditional medicine remains deeply embedded in Ghana’s healthcare system, with practitioners present in nearly every community across the country.
Speaking on the Teknokrat Show with Khayrullah Issah Dobo on Focus FM, Dr (MH). Yusuf highlighted the crucial role traditional and complementary medicine plays in healthcare delivery, especially in areas where conventional medical services are limited.
He noted that the World Health Organization recognizes traditional medicine as practices that have demonstrated healing effects over centuries even though their mechanisms are not fully scientifically explained.
“Whether explicable or not, as long as it has demonstrated healing and is safe, it qualifies as traditional complementary and integrative medicine,” he said.
He explained that Ghana currently has 54 herbal units operating within government hospitals, staffed largely by graduates trained at institutions such as KNUST. These professionals work alongside conventional medical staff, reflecting a growing integration of traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare.
Dr Yusuf underscored the importance of academia in advancing the sector.
“Research into medicinal plants such as Cryptolepis sanguinolenta (Nibima) for malaria treatment and other plant-based discoveries shows the immense pharmaceutical potential within Ghana’s biodiversity,” he added.
However, he expressed concern over environmental degradation and illegal mining activities that are threatening medicinal plant resources.
“Lots of medicinal plants are getting lost. You go and you don’t find them,” he said, describing the situation as worrying.
To address this, the TMPC is exploring commercial cultivation of medicinal plants and strengthening partnerships with research institutions to protect biodiversity and ensure sustainability.
He believes that with proper regulation, research investment, and collaboration between traditional and orthodox medicine, Ghana’s traditional medicine sector can become a stronger pillar of national healthcare delivery.