Professor of Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Prof. Isaac Ayensu, has urged newly inducted Medical Herbalists to embrace scientific research, evidence-based practice, and professional collaboration as they begin their careers in Ghana’s healthcare system.
Speaking at the 7th Medical Herbalist Induction Ceremony, where 48 newly qualified Medical Herbalists were formally inducted into the profession, Prof. Ayensu emphasized that modern medical herbal practice must be rooted in science, safety, and accountability rather than traditional beliefs alone.
According to him, the newly inducted practitioners are not being admitted as herbalists in the conventional sense but as healthcare professionals equipped with scientific knowledge and research skills to support primary healthcare delivery.
“You are not being admitted as herbalists in the old sense. You are being inducted as primary healthcare agents armed with research,” he stated.
Prof. Ayensu explained that the successful integration of traditional medicine into Ghana’s healthcare system is founded on three key pillars: safety, efficacy, and standardization.
He stressed that every herbal remedy prescribed must undergo rigorous safety assessments to ensure it does not pose risks to patients.
Beyond safety, he noted that treatments must demonstrate proven clinical effectiveness rather than relying solely on anecdotal evidence or ancestral testimony.
“We demand clinical evidence, not just ancestral testimony,” he said.
The professor also underscored the importance of standardization, noting that herbal medicines must be produced consistently to ensure patients receive the same therapeutic benefits regardless of where or when the products are manufactured.
Prof. Ayensu revealed that the Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC) has established a framework requiring all herbal treatment protocols intended for use in public primary healthcare facilities to undergo scientific validation before approval.
Under the initiative, the Council is partnering with universities and pharmacological research institutions to conduct randomized controlled trials on promising herbal products.
The research effort, he disclosed, will initially focus on herbal therapies for major public health concerns, including malaria, diabetes, and hypertension.
“This framework ensures that before any herbal protocol enters a public primary healthcare centre, it must clear research validation,” he explained.
Addressing the newly inducted practitioners, Prof. Ayensu stressed the need for collaboration between Medical Herbalists and conventional healthcare professionals.
He advised the inductees to integrate traditional diagnostic approaches with biomedical assessments when treating patients and to maintain professional standards when referring cases to medical doctors.
“When you refer a patient, you should write a report that a medical doctor can read because we are building a referral highway, not a wall between systems,” he noted.
He encouraged Medical Herbalists to view medical doctors and other healthcare professionals as colleagues rather than competitors, emphasizing that collaborative healthcare delivery is essential to improving patient outcomes.
Prof. Ayensu issued a strong warning against unscientific practices, misleading health claims, and the sale of unverified herbal mixtures.
According to him, the TMPC will take decisive action against practitioners who engage in unethical conduct, including making false claims about curing incurable diseases.
“The TMPC will not hesitate to delist any practitioner found dispensing unverified mixtures or making miracle claims about incurable diseases,” he warned.
He added that the Council maintains a strict zero-tolerance policy against product adulteration, the presence of heavy metals in herbal preparations, and deceptive advertising.
“Quackery is the enemy of integration,” he stressed.
Prof. Ayensu further urged the newly inducted Medical Herbalists to make research and documentation central to their professional practice.
He encouraged them to carefully document treatment outcomes, collaborate with researchers, and continually evaluate the effectiveness of herbal therapies.
“Go forth and document every therapy you use. Go forth and collaborate. Seek out medical doctors—they are no longer your rivals but your colleagues,” he advised.
He noted that treatments proven to be effective through scientific investigation should be promoted, while those found to be ineffective should be discarded.
Prof. Ayensu observed that Ghana’s primary healthcare system continues to face significant capacity challenges, particularly in underserved and rural communities.
He suggested that some of the solutions to these challenges could emerge from scientifically validated medicinal plants indigenous to Ghana rather than relying solely on imported pharmaceutical products.
“The answer may not come from a foreign pharmaceutical laboratory alone. It may be growing along our riverbanks, waiting for a skilled eye and a validated trial,” he remarked.
Prof. Ayensu called for stronger ethical oversight, sustained research partnerships, and professional excellence within the medical herbalist profession.
He expressed optimism that the newly inducted practitioners would help demonstrate a new model of healthcare in which traditional knowledge is strengthened by scientific rigor for the benefit of patients.
He wished the inductees success in their careers and expressed confidence that their work would contribute significantly to improving healthcare delivery and advancing traditional medicine in the country.
By 1960news.com
