He said Ghana was blessed with many traditional plants which required serious investments to wean the country off its overreliance on foreign drugs.
Otumfuo, however, said that such research required huge capital and it was necessary that the government supported individuals, groups and institutions in the practice of traditional plant medicine.

He said these in a speech delivered by his Nsumankwahene, Baffuor Asabre Kogyawoasu Ababio II, at the launch of COA FS, a Ghanaian-made dietary supplement which boosts the human immune system.

He also urged Ghanaians to patronise made-in-Ghana goods.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II appealed to government to extend traditional medicine to the various district hospitals across the country to help with access to indigenous drugs.

He said Ghanaians had developed the taste for foreign products, some of which were produced by neighbouring countries under strange conditions.

The Asantehene said it was time for Ghanaian entrepreneurs to be encouraged and motivated, since they had the capacity to match up with the best in the world.

“Patronising these foreign items at the expense of made-in-Ghana products demoralises Ghanaians who are in the production business, so let us buy Ghanaian products to build national confidence,” he said.
Otumfuo called on the government to help subsidise the newly launched supplement to make it easily available for all.

Policies
In a speech read on behalf of the Minister of Health, Mr Alex Segbefia, an official of the ministry, Dr Mrs Anastasia Yirenkye, said traditional medicine practice had provided jobs for a number of Ghanaian professionals.

Currently, Ghana has about 19 centres across the country producing traditional medicine, and it was expected that the government would make the drugs available at all the district hospitals.

The minister said traditional medicine had gained recognition nationally and internationally. Subsequently, national policies were being developed to ensure that quality health services were delivered to Ghanaians.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COA FS, Dr Samuel Ato Duncan, said the best way to stay healthy was to maintain one’s immune system. He expressed the hope that the drug would serve a good purpose.

He added that the immune system could be maintained by eating healthy food, having sleeping well or taking an approved dietary supplement to provide nutrients which were missing in the body.

The CEO said lack of sleep, radiation and malnutrition could reduce the strength of the immune system and lead to diseases.