The Ghana Association of Medical Herbalists (GAMH) successfully organized the National Herbal Medicine Symposium on 18th December 2025 at the Ministry of Health (MoH) Auditorium, Ridge. The symposium brought together key stakeholders in traditional, complementary, and orthodox healthcare to deliberate on the theme:

“The Role of Integrative Medicine in Primary Healthcare: The Integration of Traditional Medicine.”

Overview of the Symposium

The event served as a strategic platform for dialogue, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration aimed at strengthening the integration of traditional medicine into Ghana’s primary healthcare system. Participants included medical herbalists, health professionals, regulators, academia, professional associations, product manufacturers, and development partners.

Message from the Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC),

 A key highlight of the symposium was the presence of the Registrar of the Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC), The Ag. REGISTRAR Dr.  (MH) Yakubu Tobor Yusuf who delivered an official message on behalf of the Council.

In the address, the Registrar reaffirmed TMPC’s commitment to:

Strengthening regulation, licensing, and monitoring of traditional medicine practice in Ghana;

Promoting quality, safety, and efficacy of traditional and herbal medicines;

Supporting professional development and compliance among practitioners; and

Enhancing collaboration between traditional medicine practitioners and the orthodox health system in line with national health policy and meeting with all professional stakeholders to continue to ensure the integration when on successfully.

The Registrar commended GAMH for its leadership in advocacy, capacity building, and stakeholder engagement, and encouraged practitioners to uphold professional standards and ethical practice to safeguard public health.

Technical and Thematic Presentations

The symposium featured insightful presentations, including a thematic presentation on integrative medicine in primary healthcare, which explored practical pathways for integrating traditional medicine into mainstream health service delivery. Presenters highlighted policy alignment, evidence-based practice, research, and collaboration with conventional healthcare providers and also a National roads map for integration based on world policy and strategies.

Stakeholder Engagement and Panel Discussion

A robust panel discussion and open forum allowed participants to exchange views on:

• Challenges and opportunities in integrative healthcare;
• Regulatory compliance and practitioner responsibilities;
• Research, documentation, and standardization of herbal medicine; and
• The role of professional associations in advancing the sector.

Representatives from key stakeholder organisations participated, contributing to a rich and constructive discourse.

Product and Innovation Showcase

The programme also included a drug presentation showcasing herbal medicinal products, demonstrating ongoing innovation and the importance of compliance with regulatory requirements.

Conclusion

The National Herbal Medicine Symposium 2025 reaffirmed the growing importance of traditional medicine within Ghana’s healthcare system and the need for sustained collaboration among practitioners, regulators, policymakers, and partners. GAMH reiterated its commitment to supporting integrative medicine, professional excellence, and public health outcomes.

The organizers expressed appreciation to World Health Organization (WHO), Ghana Health Service (GHS), Traditional and Alternative Medicine Directorate (TAMD), the Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC), Ghana Alternative Medical Practitioners Association (GAMPA), Ministry of Health (MOH), Medical Herbalists (MH), partners, speakers, and all participants for their invaluable contributions to the success of the symposium.