By Nii Martey M. Botchway
Accra, Sept. 04, GNA – The Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC) has intensified the registration and monitoring of traditional medicine practitioners nationwide, amid concerns over the growing number of unlicensed practitioners and unregistered herbal products.
Dr (MH) Yakubu Tobor Yusuf, Registrar of the Council, said more than 100,000 traditional medicine practitioners had been identified across the country, but less than 20 per cent were currently captured in the Council’s database.
He said the Council had, therefore, stepped up district-level engagements with practitioners and their associations to ensure that those operating within the sector complied with the required regulatory standards.
Speaking at a media launch to commemorate African Traditional Medicine Day, Dr Yusuf said the Council’s intensified monitoring had resulted in visits to more than 500 traditional medicine premises across the country.
He said some practitioners found operating without the required licences had been closed down, while those with minor compliance challenges had been given the opportunity to correct them.
He explained that products requiring approval and certification were also being referred to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for the necessary regulatory action.
Dr Yusuf said the Council had expanded its presence across the country, including the establishment of new regional and district offices, to bring regulatory services closer to practitioners.
He further cautioned practitioners against selling unwholesome or adulterated products to the public, saying some herbal products on the market had been found to contain undeclared pharmaceutical substances that could pose serious risks to consumers.
He said the Council would intensify enforcement and remove and destroy products found to be unsafe or produced or sold outside the approved regulatory framework.
“Practitioners who operate without a licence could face prosecution, including a fine of up to 500 penalty units, imprisonment for up to two years, or both,” he said.
He, therefore, urged the public to patronise only licensed traditional medicine practitioners and approved traditional medicines.
GNA
Nii Martey M. Botchway
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong
