‘It’s not fair’ – Herbal medicine producers cry neglect in COVID-19 fight

The Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners has expressed worry over what they said is the government’s neglect in the country’s fight against COVID-19.

“We have not been given any attention. We have to struggle to make sure we get this thing for Ghanaians. We have not been given any attention when it comes to herbal medicines in Ghana. That’s why we are asking that we meet the President himself,” the General Secretary of the federation, Nana Kwadwo Obiri, said in an interview on Starr FM monitored by theghanareport.com.

The group said its members were capable of producing medicines to treat the disease which has so far killed 24 people in Ghana.

This comes after the Mampong Center for Research into Plant Medicine approved 10 out of 33 herbal medicines for the treatment of symptoms of COVID-19.

According to Nana Obiri, government officials get angry at their members and sent them away whenever they attempted to engage the authorities over their medicines.

“For the past two to three months since the COVID-19 has been with us, we have been neglected. We have not been given any attention. They don’t mind us. They don’t want to see us at all. Even when you go there, the authorities will just get angry with you. It’s not fair,” he said.

The herbal medicine producers in Ghana believe their medicines can cure COVID-19 just as a herbal produced drug in Madagascar has supposedly cured persons infected with the disease.

As of May 15, 2020, Ghana’s COVID-19 case count stood at 5,530 with 674 recoveries. Some 24 persons have died as a result of the disease. Out of these cases, Greater Accra has the highest number of COVID-19 infections with a total of 4,204.

The Ashanti Region is second with 788 cases while the Central Region’s case count is 192 infections.

As part of measures to stop the spread of COVID-19 in Ghana, the government introduced a mandatory nose mask-wearing policy.