Dr. Anastasia Yirenkyi, the Director of the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Directorate at the Ministry of Health (MOH), has announced plans to integrate the study of traditional medicine into the curriculum of secondary and tertiary schools in Ghana.
The initiative, developed in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, aims to reduce the stigma associated with traditional medicine.
“We are planning to include traditional medicine studies into the secondary and tertiary institutions… I think this one would help us to take away the stigma and the discrimination. It is just because at times they do not know what is in there, but as we introduce it in the curriculum, as they grow with it, naturally they would accept and they would understand traditional medications,” stated Dr Anastasia.
She made these remarks during the 21st African Traditional Medicine Day commemoration in Accra. The event celebrated the significance of African traditional medicine and its role in promoting health and well-being.
The theme for this year's celebration was “Contribution of Traditional Medicine to Holistic Health and Well-Being for All.”
Experienced traditional medicine practitioners will be trained to teach students as part of this educational initiative.
Dr Hafez Adams, speaking on behalf of the Director for MoH, emphasized the vital role traditional medicine plays in the healthcare system, highlighting the government's commitment to growing the sector.
Dr. Francis Kasolo, the WHO Representative to Ghana, urged stakeholders to implement evidence-based traditional medicine approaches to achieve health-related Sustainable Development Goals.
Prof. Samuel Ato Duncan, President of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (GHAFTRAM), encouraged embracing a healthcare paradigm that transcends the boundaries between traditional and modern medicine for holistic healthcare access.
