Editorial
Pay attention to herbal medication but be careful with it
When individuals are sick, they go to hospitals for treatment in line with medical care and practices acceptable to our national and international standards so that they will always remain healthy.
Good health depends on preventive steps that are taken to overcome diseases. However, in case the inevitable happens, and we fall sick, we will need to go for medication, whether orthodox or herbal, to deal with the problems we are facing.
Orthodox medicine has advanced over the years, but in spite of this, it is unable to solve all problems. For this reason, many other people believe that we need to pay attention to herbal medicine to overcome our health problems.
While this is true, we need to be very careful so as not to go for the wrong herbal medication in a manner that can jeopardise our health condition.
Both orthodox medicine and herbal medicinal care can prove dangerous if not properly administered to the sick.
The advantage of orthodox medicine is that it goes by certain scientific principles that ensure that diagnosis and tests are carried out properly before a prescription is made. Herbal medication has also seen tremendous improvement over the years, and doctors also carry out certain tests before prescriptions are made. In times past, proper tests were not carried out before the administration of herbal medication.
This problem has been overcome. The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology trains people in herbal medicine and encourages them to go by accepted principles of diagnosis and procedures, tests, and ultimately, medication.
As a result of this, we have seen tremendous improvement in herbal medication. There are still, however, problems with herbal medication.
The rapid nature with which many of these herbal practitioners go on television to advertise their herbal products leaves much to be desired. In the case of orthodox medicine practice, the Medical and Dental Council comes out to readily engage the practice.
We do not see the same regulatory behaviour when it comes to herbal medication. Herbal medication is complementary to orthodox medicine.
In fact, herbal medication is rooted in African tradition, which is why many Ghanaians or Africans believe in it.
It is good to show interest in herbal medicine since it plays a useful role in Ghanaian society. In addition to orthodox medicine, the Chinese, Japanese, and some people in other parts of the world have advanced this form of practice to improve their healthcare systems.
Thus, if Ghanaians are also doing the same, then it is in order and must be encouraged. However, people must go out for only the herbal medicines that have been approved by the Food and Drugs Authority and are also seen not to be marketed for profit motives. If all people can be seen to be careful in this way, there will be checks and balances in the medications we take so that our health can be cared for and protected as expected.
Dear Editor,
I WRITE to condemn the circumstances under which an accident victim died recently after three major hospitals reportedly turned him away due to what has earned a place in our local parlance as ‘no bed syndrome.’
Reports suggested that this motor rider who got knocked by a vehicle was taken to three major hospitals – Police Hospital, Greater Accra Regional Hospital (Ridge Hospital), and the Korle-bu Teaching Hospital – but they all claimed they had no beds.
But one may ask, would there ever be beds?
Such is the treatment Ghanaians endure every now and then when one visits our hospitals, especially the public ones which are run with the taxpayers’ money. Many a time when one visits the hospitals, the sight of patients admitted and lying on benches, and some sitting on chairs while receiving care, is visible to all; making one wonder why this particular motor rider was not admitted at any of the facilities, looking at his condition.
This leads to the reason for this letter, which is to bring out a perceived apathy against these motor riders, the majority of whom are referred to as ‘Okada’ riders.
Due to their recklessness on the roads and the inconvenience caused to commuters, people always speak ill about them; drivers equally have no regard for them. Every user of public transport would attest to this. These riders are blamed for every offence, even when it is obvious drivers may be at fault sometimes.
Motor riders have become like orphans on the road; people care less about them, and when they are unfortunately knocked down, no one cares about them.
This is the mischief our authorities and agencies, including the police, must seek to cure to make the road safe for all users.
These are young folks that want to make a living for themselves, and with no skill or education, ‘Okada’ rides have become their source of livelihood. They need the protection accorded drivers and commuters as well.
In other countries, some facilities have been provided to make their work safer, but in Ghana, we lack them, leaving them with no alternative than to share the available space with the cars.
What has happened should serve as a wake-up call on our authorities to aim to take a second look at the ‘Okada’ menace. With the numbers increasing, there should be a way to regulate them because no government would have the guts to ban it totally.
Drivers should be made to accept the reality that they are sharing the roads with them, and therefore the need for patience and tolerance.
For some of our hospitals, I suggest the Ministry of Health conduct their own investigations to see what patients go through in accessing medicare, which is even not for free.
Thank you, Editor, for the space.
F. Morgan, Kokrobite
Dear Editor,
THE heartbreaking death of 29-year-old engineer Charles Amissah in a hit-and-run accident has exposed once again the failures in our health system.
Even more painful is the fact that his father had previously donated beds to some hospitals, yet when his son needed urgent care, he was moved from one facility to another because there were ‘no beds.’
This is not only tragic but unacceptable. How can a country lose its bright young citizens simply because hospitals cannot provide emergency treatment? The ‘no bed syndrome’ has become a national disgrace, and Charles’ death is a reminder that reforms cannot wait.
Our hospitals must be equipped to handle emergencies, and accountability must be enforced. If donations are made to improve facilities, then those facilities must serve the people when it matters most. Ghana cannot afford to keep losing lives to negligence and poor infrastructure.
Charles Amissah’s death should be the turning point. Let us honor his memory by fixing the system so that no family would suffer this kind of preventable loss again.
Princess Wonovi
Accra
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