Traditional Healers Want Meeting With Doctors

Accra, Aug. 21, - The Ghana Federation of Traditional Healers (GFTH), today extended a hand to the Ghana Medical Association (GMA)to deliberate on how best they could enrich the country's health delivery. " We have set up a reconciliation committee which will initiate a platform for immediate interaction with the GMA at the national and Regional levels to foster rapport." Mr Narh Nartey , National Coordinator of GFTH told a press conference in Accra that the group is no longer interested in confrontation with the orthodox medicine practitioners adding " we have to put the interest of the health of the general population above ours ." The two bodies have been engaged in an endless tango over the mode of practice, administration and potency of some herbal preparations and lately the advertising of traditional medicine in the mass media. Mr Nartey said the committe would establish permanent linkages wwith the GMA and all related scientific and medical bodies to trade in ideas. On the advertisement of traditional medicine in the mass media, Mr Nartey said no institution can stop it from rolling since they also have duty to let the public know what they have. " The adverts of our products in the mass media is our fundamental right. It is a freedom won after much struggle and we are prepared to defend it at all cost, even with our blood." He said those pushing for the ban on the airing of their products are perpetuating the oppressive and anti-African machination of the country's past colonial administration. Mr Nartey called on all who have doubts about traditional medicine to contact their personnel or offices for answers. Togbega Dabra, the sixth, Paramount Chief of Logba Traditional Area and a pharmacist, who presided, asked Ghanaians to protect their traditional methods of healing in order to reduce the country's medical import bill.