A seven-member Ivorian delegation has arrived in Ghana to explore ways of strengthening cooperation between the two neighbouring countries in the area of traditional medicine practice.

Dr Kroa Ehoule, Director of the National Programme of Traditional Medicine Promotion, leads the delegation made up of representatives from the Health Ministry, Food and Drugs Board and the Traditional Medicine Council.

They will be in the country for seven days and have already visited the Amen Scientific Herbal Hospital at Atwima-Techiman near Kumasi.

They were taken round the production unit, modern laboratory and massaging unit, medicinal plant plantation and the alternative medical institute established to train the youth in traditional medicine.

Dr Ehoule said they were impressed with the tremendous strides Ghana was making in traditional medicine and were eager to learn from their neighbours.

He said although a professional orthodox medical practitioner himself, he appreciated the potency of herbs and medicinal plants and was determined to give every needed support to promote its use for disease treatment.

He said he and his team were amazed at what they saw at the Amen hospital and would fully welcome the establishment of a similar facility in La Cote d’ Ivoire.

The Amen Scientific Herbal Hospital was set up by Sheikh Dr Amin Bonsu in 1996 and now operates 14 herbal facilities across the country. It has also established a strong presence in Burkina Faso.

The General-Secretary of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association (GHAFTRAM), Mr Godfred Boateng, said they were into talks with their Chinese counterparts to train members in physiotherapy at the Amen hospital.

They could tremendously benefit from the Chinese experience and expertise.

Sheikh Dr Bonsu said, their goal was to provide the best, most potent, reliable and affordable traditional medicine using local expertise and indigenous materials to complement government’s effort at ensuring quality health care delivery.

He said they were determined to become a world class centre of research into plant medicine and establish firm foothold in the West African sub-region.

It was for this reason that they opened an Alternative Medical Institute known as Amen Professional College at Tanoso.**