Around 80% of the world’s population is estimated to use traditional medicine. To date, 170 of the 194 WHO Member States have reported the use of traditional medicine, and their governments have asked for WHO’s support in creating a body of reliable evidence and data on traditional medicine practices and products.
To this end, Ghana has launched its first herbal medicinal book to aim to harness the potential of traditional medicine from across the world through modern science and technology to improve the health of people and the planet.
The book with the title Common Medicinal Plant of Ghana which was authored by Dr. Kofi Bobi Barimah, Mr. Tonny Asafo Agyei, and Mr. Okyere Bonna consists of 78 pages with the total sum of the knowledge, skills, and images of indigenous plants which different cultures have used over time to maintain health and prevent, diagnose and treat physical and mental illness.
Dr. Kofi Bobi Barimah, Acting Executive Director, Center for Plant Medicine Research and Author of the book said the rationale behind is to educate people on the right way to blend medicinal leaves to achieve a goal.
He advised Ghanaians to be careful when purchasing medicine from the market especially knowing if is FDA approved.
“One interesting thing is many people do not know the medicinal plant so sometimes when they come along they do know what to do, they sometimes weed them or burn them but we also know that these days worthwhile to plant this one because u can sell them for money.
What makes this book of a kind from others is it comes with images of the plant to make it easy to identify”.
On her part the Deputy Director General at the Ghana Lottery Authority, MWottorma Anna Miezah has encouraged Ghanaians to Patronize Herbal Medicine and reduced the intake of foreign medicine which contains a lot of chemicals.
She said the usage of chemical medicine has become rampant in society forgetting the Herbal medicine God almighty grant it unto mankind.
Madam Anna said Government enforces the regulations attached to it in other for citizens, to be able to identify the right medicine to use.
According to her, the attitude of attaching spirituality to every health condition has caused fear and panic among citizens and has reduced patronage.
