Kumasi, Dec. 15, GNA - The Ghana Association of Faith Healers and Traditional Birth Attendants has pledged to work with the Health Ministry to uphold the safety of the people.

Mr Kweku Asante, General Secretary of the Association, said they would identify genuine practitioners and expose fake ones who were taking advantage of some people to dupe them. The Association brings together healers, prophets and spiritualists of the Bible faith, herbalists and traditional birth attendants. Mr Asante, who was addressing a conference organized by the Ashanti Regional branch at Kumasi, said a code of ethics to regulate the conduct of the members and ensure best practices at prayer camps, healing centres and spiritual churches had been developed by the Ministry. Besides, the Association has been mandated to inspect the premises and places of practice of members and register them. This is to allow for interaction between them and the Regional and District Health Directors for smooth administration of health service delivery.

Mr Asante appealed to the media, chiefs, law enforcement agencies and stakeholders in the health sector to join in the efforts at ensuring that there was sanity in the faith healing practice. The conference was to deepen the understanding of faith healing, the need for practitioners to register with the Association and to impress on them to adhere to the code of ethics. Mr Asante expressed concern about the proliferation of prayer camps, churches and other indigenous health care provision centres in the country which were ignorant of the regulatory measures. He said they were determined to end sexual exploitation of especially women and duping under the disguise of spiritual protection by fraudsters and charlatans masquerading as prophets and spiritualists. Mr Maxwell Amedewonu, the Administrator, urged members to ensure that patients' health status was kept strictly confidential. He called for an end to trial by ordeals and other abuses of the rights of clients. Prophet Francis W.K. Yeboah, Kumasi Metropolitan Coordinator, appealed to members to avoid acts that results in public distrust and brought the practice into disrepute. 15 Dec. 09