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The Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC) has called on massage therapists to uphold the integrity of their profession by delivering ethical, safe and quality services that inspire public confidence in licensed massage therapy.
The council also cautioned practitioners against compromising professional standards for financial gain, urging them to respect anatomical boundaries and adhere strictly to safe massage procedures.
It stressed that massage therapy is a regulated healthcare service and should not be perceived or practised as a social or sexual activity.
The Registrar of the TMPC, Dr Yakubu Tobor Yusuf, who made the call, said the council had observed growing public concern over the misconception that massage therapy involved sexual services.
He said massage therapy was an important component of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine and urged practitioners to conduct themselves professionally to help change the negative perception surrounding the profession.
“Practitioners should be proud of the work they do and help change the perception that massage therapy is associated with inappropriate conduct.”
“When people visit a licensed massage therapist, they should be assured of receiving quality and professional care,” he added.
Dr Yusuf was speaking during a Continuous Professional Development (CPD) training programme organised by TMPC for massage therapists in Accra last Thursday (July 16).
The training formed part of the council’s licensing requirements under the Traditional Medicine Practice Act, 2000 (Act 575), which mandates the council to regulate practitioners, uphold professional standards and ensure public safety through ethical and competent practice.
At the training, the participants were trained in medico-legal issues, risk management in massage therapy practice, anatomical boundaries and essential techniques in massage practices, basic techniques in Thai/Swedish massage and traditional, alternative and complementary medicine laws and their implications.
Dr Yusuf explained that while the Health Facilities Regulatory Authority (HeFRA) regulated orthodox health facilities, the TMPC was responsible for licensing and regulating herbal and alternative medicine practitioners, including massage therapists.
He said the programme was the first large-scale training specifically organised for massage therapists, adding that the overwhelming participation reflected the rapid growth of the profession and its contribution to healthcare delivery and employment creation.
He said the training was also to ensure that practitioners, including foreigners working in the country, understood the boundaries governing their work and complied with the laws of the country.
He said practitioners who exceeded the limits of professional practice could face disciplinary action, prosecution or imprisonment; however, he said registered practitioners who faced harassment or abuse from clients would receive support from the council.
“The council can sue and be sued. We provide legal support where necessary, and where there is criminality, we escalate the matter to the relevant state agencies,” he said.
The Legal Representative for the Tema Regional Health Directorate of the Ghana Health Service, Dr Kofi Blankson, urged massage therapists to equip themselves with the legal and ethical knowledge needed to practise safely, avoid litigation and restore public confidence in the profession.
A massage therapist, Isaac Mbamayen Yikpakuyen, also urged qualified massage therapists never to use their face, chest, head, or pelvis to touch, support, or massage the client.
He stressed that they must follow laid-down procedures such as obtaining the client's explicit verbal consent before massaging certain areas and adhering to strict sheet-covering techniques, exposing only the specific muscle to be massaged.
A lawyer, Michael Lawson, stressed the importance of maintaining client confidentiality and keeping accurate records, including health histories, consent forms, treatment notes and referral records, stating that proper documentation was essential in the event of investigations or legal proceedings.
