KNUST PHARMACY DEPARTMENT CALLS FOR SUPPORT (MIRROR, PAGE 35, MAY 29, 2010)

From George Ernest Asare, Kumasi.

Senior Research Fellows at the Pharmacy Department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) have expressed concern about the failure of the local herbal medicine industry to collaborate with them to translate their research works into quality herbal products in commercial quantities to address the health needs of Ghanaians.
They pointed out that while the industry spends millions of cedis on advertisement to entice the public to patronise their products, they blatantly ignore safety measures which are the hall marks of research.
Professor M.L.K Mensah, who made the remarks at a symposium on natural product research at the KNUST noted, “they are reluctant to spend a pesewa on research work intended to improve the quality, potency and viability of herbal medicines, but spend huge sums of money to advertise herbal products in the print and electronic media on a daily basis to entice the public to patronise them”.
Professor Mensah pointed out that “it is only adequate financial support that would translate our laboratory works into effective and efficient herbal products in commercial quantities”.
Stressing, he said “ The Pharmacy Department of the KNUST is on track to improve the quality and safety of herbal medicine, but inadequate financial support was undermining our effort” .
The symposium created a platform for research fellows to defend some of their works on local herbal medicines in terms of potency, quality and safety.
Making an overview of natural products research in Ghana during the symposium, Professor Mensah expressed concern about the reluctance of stakeholders to finance research works on herbal medicines.
This, he said, would enable the industry extend its frontiers beyond Ghana to earn foreign exchange to support sustainable national development.
“ With a little push, herbal medicines could be improved in terms of quality, and quantity because we have the human and natural resources to produce them in commercial quantities to meet international demand,” he noted.
“ Laboratory work that translates a specific herbal medicine into viable products to meet international standards costs not less than $200 million. That is why we need the support of local industry and other stakeholders to enable us translate our research works into products to address the health needs of Ghanaians,” he noted.
He pointed out that in advertising local herbal medicines in the electronic and print media, little or no attention is given to the safety of those who would use the products.
“ People are ready to sponsor sports, beauty pageants, and other forms of entertainment, but are reluctant to support innovative measures that would improve our health to make us more productive,” he noted.