GhanaTraditional Medicine & Healthcare in Ghana

Lisa Briggs

Global Health – 2007

Ghana Area

92,098 square miles Population

22,113,000 Language

English is the official language (79 others)

Religion 62% Christian, 22% Indigenous

Beliefs, 16% Muslim Literacy

Male: 76%; Female: 54% Life Expectancy

57 years Agriculture

Coca, rice, coffee, peanuts, corn, shea nuts, bananas, timber, cassava

Healthcare Delivery Ghana is divided into 10

regions, each with it’s own hospital

Accessibility to healthcare is defined as living within 3-5 miles of a health service 70% of the population lives in a

rural area where accessibility is a problem

In Ghana the ratio of medical doctors to population is 1: 20,000

The ratio of traditional healers to population is 1: 200

2006 International Council of Nurses

What is Traditional Medicine? Traditional medicine refers

to health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal, and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illness or maintain well-being.

Defined by the World Health Organization

Types of Practitioners in Ghana Traditional pharmacists

Use herbal medicines Plant & drug peddlers

Travel to towns/villages to sell herbal medicines

Priest & priestess of deities and gods They cure spiritually based

disease through divination & rituals in healing practices

Sacred/traditional healers Faith healers, use prayer,

fasting, herbal medicines

Health Beliefs Mind body connection Environment consists of two worlds

Physical world which is seen Supernatural/spiritual world which is unseen

Patient Safety Issues Posed by the World Health Organization W.H.O. launched a

comprehensive traditional medicine strategy in 2002 Develop national policies

on evaluation & regulation Create stronger evidence

base on the safety, efficacy, and quality

Ensure availability and affordability of TM and herbal medicines

Promote therapeutically sound use of TM by providers & consumers

Document TM remedies

Biodiversity & Sustainability Growing herbal

market and it’s commercial benefit might pose a threat to biodiversity through the over harvesting of raw materials for herbal medicines

World Health Organization 2007

Africa First, LLC

Global Summit on HIV/AIDS, Traditional Medicine & Indigenous Knowledge in Accra, Ghana(March 2008)

Vision of Africa First Traditional medicine farm

in Tepa, Ghana J.William Danquah,

President/CEO of Africa First

http://www.africa-first.com

Africa First – Tepa Medicinal Farm

Develop a sustainable production system that is environmentally friendly, profitable, and benefits society.

Improve the quality of life for the families that reside within the community where the project is located.

Create a model farm to train farmers about organic production of medicinal plants and sustainable forest management.  

Use the activities developed in the eco-farm and its natural resources for biodiversity and environmental education.

Africa First, LLC 2007

Kakum National Park Largest rainforest in

the central region Ghana, 360km

Reserve established in the 17th century

Canopy walkway 350 meters of

suspended bridge, 30 meters above the rainforest floor

Kakum National Park Hagar

Park ranger/Guide Kuntan/Ebony Trail

Developed for medicinal & practical uses of forest plant species

Nature’s Pharmacy guinea worm, hemorrhoids,

anemia, asthma, labor induction, expulsion of placenta, HIV/AIDS, ringworms, diarrhea, rashes, epilepsy, stomach & head aches, chest pains, high blood pressure, yellow fever, measles, painful menstruation, ulcers

Ghana: Favorite Pictures

Ghana: Favorite Pictures