A Member of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioners Associations (GHATFRAM) and Chief Executive Officer of Amega Herbal, Dr. Asiedu Amega, has raised concern over the growing threat illegal mining—popularly known as galamsey—poses to Ghana’s herbal medicine industry.
Speaking to workers at a New Year party in Accra, Dr. Amega warned that the survival of the country’s herbal medicine sector is under serious threat if galamsey activities are not urgently addressed.
He explained that illegal mining has led to the destruction of critical water bodies, degradation of fertile lands, and contamination of food crops and medicinal plants with toxic chemicals.
According to him, the production of herbal medicine depends largely on the availability of clean water and uncontaminated medicinal plants, both of which are increasingly becoming scarce due to galamsey.
Dr. Amega therefore called on government to intensify efforts to combat illegal mining and protect the natural resources that sustain the herbal medicine industry.
He also appealed to the government to consider the inclusion of traditional medicines in the National Health Insurance Authority’s (NHIA) list of approved drugs to enhance accessibility and support the sector.
Cautioning the public against fake products on the market, Dr. Asiedu warned that there is only one authentic Amega Herbal product currently available, stressing that any other product bearing the same name should be treated as counterfeit.
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