Promotion of traditional medicine receives boost

Atonsu-Dwenase (Ash), Oct. 15, GNA- Efforts at promoting the use of traditional medicine in the country has been given a boost with the construction of an 800 million-cedis Herbal Centre at Atonsu-Dwenase, referred to as "Kuwait", a suburb of Kumasi.

The centre would provide training on hygienic preparation of herbal medicine, labelling and packaging and also serve as a clinic to treat patients.

Mr Benjamin Daniel Bonsu, a renowned herbalist, is the founder of the centre.

More than 150 million cedis had been invested in the project, which is steadily progressing.

Mr Bonsu, who took newsmen round to inspect the project, said while there seem to be no doubts about the potency of herbs, the manner drugs are prepared was a disincentive to people who want to patronise herbal medicine.

He said he was not happy about how people in possession of potent herbs for curing a number of diseases keep it to themselves. This, he noted, does not augur well for the sustenance of traditional medical practice.

He said there was the need for herbalists to establish their own plantations from which they could obtain herbs for production. Mr Bonsu, who is a Catechist of the Atonsu Presbyterian Church, called for increased research to identify all plants that have medicinal value.

"For the past 45 years, I have used herbs to treat a number of patients of various diseases like breast cancer, infertility, chronic headache, piles, rheumatism, and skin diseases", he said. GNA