The recent launching of an Alternative Medicine Association in the country is good news. In a country where many people patronize herbal medicine, and generally alternative medicine, the patrons must be educated about what to expect when best practices are not followed in such preferences.
There are still many Ghanaians who would rather deal with herbs than go through what for them are the inconveniences of hospital drills even if the latter offer better results for their ailments.
Alternative medicine, as herbal practice is referred to, cannot be stopped under any circumstance, the preference being an age-long procedure and serving as the only source of treatment for most people in the rural setting.
Most of the radio commercials in the country are about such alternatives, a suggestion that the following of such options is large. There are instances where alternative medicines have addressed the health challenges of persons for who the orthodox could not.
Be it as it may, those engaged in preparing and administering herbal medicines must be schooled on the importance of quality control and how to deal with the toxicology of some preparations which have created complications – in some instances sometimes fatal.
The issue of dosage of some herbal concoctions has come on the spotlight but as always, this is a subject close to being a taboo. Those who do not handle the subject well in their discourses stand to be vilified by both the patrons and the practitioners.
Whether they see themselves as doctors or not, let them understand that their wisdom in such matters is not being doubted; they should understand that a lot of research has been undertaken on some herbs. It would therefore be in their interest to collaborate sufficiently with such researchers in the medical profession so the best would be assured for the public.
Such collaboration is still a far cry from the reality on the ground which is why we think that the establishment of this association would go a long way in addressing this anomaly.
We expect the association to set standards and be able to ensure discipline of the membership to the extent that those who breach regulations are sanctioned.
In instances where the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) has wielded the big stick to keep manufacturers of herbal or alternative medicine in check, the reaction was not clement.
We do not know the statistics of persons suffering from renal challenges but can vouch that there has been an increase in the number of cases. Although there is no scientific proof that these have originated from the use of herbal or alternative medicine we think that some concoctions are sources of stress to the kidneys. These vital organs, as a result of the inordinate use of concoctions, lose their quality and eventually develop challenges throwing the patients into avoidable health disorders.
We long for a collaboration between the association and the FDA without which the stated objectives of the former would not be met and the losers would be the consuming public.