Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress 2023 EHA Congress 2023 ASCO Annual Meeting
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The ONWARDS insulin icodec trials

A round-up of the ONWARDS phase 3 clinical trials evaluating the novel weekly insulin icodec in people with diabetes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies
Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2018

Open Access 01-12-2018 | Research article

Identifying strengths and weaknesses of the integration of biomedical and herbal medicine units in Ghana using the WHO Health Systems Framework: a qualitative study

Authors: Bernard Appiah, Isaac Kingsley Amponsah, Anubhuti Poudyal, Merlin Lincoln Kwao Mensah

Published in: BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies | Issue 1/2018

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

The use of herbal medicines in developing countries has been increasing over the years. In Ghana, since 2011, the government has been piloting the integration of herbal medicine in 17 public hospitals. However, the strengths and the weaknesses of the integration have not been fully explored. The current study sought to examine the strengths and weaknesses of the integration using the WHO health systems framework.

Methods

This study used qualitative, exploratory study design involving interviews of 25 key informants. The respondents had experience in conducting herbal medicine research. Two key informants were medical herbalists practising in hospitals piloting the integration in Ghana. We used Framework analysis to identify the perspectives of key informants in regards to the integration. 

Results

Key informants mostly support the integration although some noted that the government needs to support scale-up in other public hospitals. Among the strengths cited were the employment of medical herbalists, utilization of traditional knowledge, research opportunities, and efficient service delivery by restricting the prescription and use of fake herbal medicine. The weaknesses were the lack of government policies on implementing the integration, financial challenges because the National Health Insurance Scheme does not cover herbal medicine, poor advocacy and research opportunities, and lack of training of conventional health practitioners in herbal medicine.

Conclusions

Researchers view the integration of the two healthcare systems–biomedicine, and herbal medicine– positively but it has challenges that need to be addressed. The integration could offer more opportunities for researching into herbal medicine. More training for conventional health professionals in herbal medicine could increase the chances of better coordination between the two units. Additionally, strong advocacy and publicity is needed to educate more people on the integration and the utilization of the services.
Appendix
Available only for authorised users
Literature
1.
World Health Organization. WHO traditional medicine strategy 2002–2005. 2002.
2.
World Health Organization. WHO traditional medicine strategy 2014-2023. 2013.
3.
Barrett B. Alternative, complementary, and conventional medicine: is integration upon us? J Altern Complement Med. 2003;9:417–27.CrossRef
4.
Green EC. Can collaborative programs between biomedical and African indigenous health practitioners succeed? Soc Sci Med. 1988;27:1125–30.CrossRef
5.
Mokgobi MG. Towards integration of traditional healing and western healing: Is this a remote possibility. Afr J Phys Health Educ Recreat Dance. 2013;2013(Suppl 1):47–57.PubMedPubMedCentral
6.
Tabi MM, Powell M, Hodnicki D. Use of traditional healers and modern medicine in Ghana. Int Nurs Rev. 2006;53:52–8.CrossRef
7.
Hevi J. In Ghana, conflict and complementarity. Hastings Cent Rep. 1989;19(4):5–7.
8.
Akazili J, Gyapong J, McIntyre D. Who pays for health care in Ghana? Int J Equity Health. 2011;10:26.CrossRef
9.
Appiah B. African traditional medicine struggles to find its place within health care. CMAJ. 2012;184:E831–2.CrossRef
10.
Bodeker G. Lessons on integration from the developing world’s experience. BMJ. 2001;322:164–7.CrossRef
11.
Ministry of Health, Ghana. Policy guidelines on traditional medicine development. 2005.
12.
Boateng MA, Danso-Appiah A, Turkson BK, Tersbøl BP. Integrating biomedical and herbal medicine in Ghana–experiences from the Kumasi south hospital: a qualitative study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016;16:189.CrossRef
13.
Aziato L, Odai PN. Exploring the safety and clinical use of herbal medicine in the contemporary Ghanaian context: a descriptive qualitative study. J Herb Med. 2016;8:62–7.CrossRef
14.
Yarney J, Donkor A, Opoku SY, Yarney L, Agyeman-Duah I, Abakah AC, Asampong E. Characteristics of users and implications for the use of complementary and alternative medicine in Ghanaian cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy and chemotherapy: a cross-sectional study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2013;13:16.CrossRef
15.
Kretchy IA, Owusu-Daaku F, Danquah S. Patterns and determinants of the use of complementary and alternative medicine: a cross-sectional study of hypertensive patients in Ghana. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2014;14:44.CrossRef
16.
Gyasi RM, Asante F, Yeboah JY, Abass K, Mensah CM, Siaw LP. Pulled in or pushed out? Understanding the complexities of motivation for alternative therapies use in Ghana. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2016;11:29667.CrossRef
17.
Gyasi RM, Asante F, Abass K, Yeboah JY, Adu-Gyamfi S, Amoah PA. Do health beliefs explain traditional medical therapies utilisation? Evidence from Ghana. Cogent Soc Sci. 2016;2:1209995.
18.
Aziato L, Antwi HO. Facilitators and barriers of herbal medicine use in Accra, Ghana: an inductive exploratory study. BMC Complement Altern Med. 2016;16:142.CrossRef
19.
20.
Sambo LG. Investigating in health systems for universal health coverage in Africa. BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2014;14:28.CrossRef
21.
Rao KD, Ramani S, Hazarika I, George S. When do vertical programmes strengthen health systems? A comparative assessment of disease-specific interventions in India. Health Policy Plan. 2014;29:495–505.CrossRef
22.
Javadi D, Feldhaus I, Mancuso A, Ghaffar A. Applying systems thinking to task shifting for mental health using lay providers: a review of the evidence. Glob Ment Health (Camb). 2017;e14:4.
23.
Sofaer S. Qualitative methods: what are they and why use them. Health Serv Res. 1999;34(5 Pt 2):1101–18 2008;49:256–60.PubMedPubMedCentral
24.
Tremblay MA. The key informant technique: a nonethnographic application. Am Anthropol. 1957;59:688–701.CrossRef
25.
Marshall MN. Sampling for qualitative research. Fam Pract. 1996;13:522–6.CrossRef
26.
Srivastava A, Thomson SB. Framework analysis: a qualitative methodology for applied research note policy research. JOAAG. 2009;426:393–405.
27.
Strauss A, Corbin J. Basics of qualitative research techniques and procedures for developing grounded theory. 2nd ed. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications; 1998.
28.
Ritchie J, Spencer L. Qualitative data analysis for applied policy research. In: Huberman M, Miles M, editors. The qualitative Researcher's companion. Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications; 2002. p. 305–29.
29.
Ulin P, Robinson E, Tolley E. Qualitative methods in public health: a field guide for applied research. 1st ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass; 2004.
30.
31.
Blanchet NJ, Fink G, Osei-Akoto I. The effect of Ghana’s National Health Insurance Scheme on health care utilisation. Ghana Med J. 2012;46:76–84.PubMedPubMedCentral
32.
Dixon J, Tenkorang EY, Luginaah IN, Kuuire VZ, Boateng GO. National health insurance scheme enrolment and antenatal care among women in Ghana: is there any relationship? Tropical Med Int Health. 2014;19:98–106.CrossRef
33.
Singh K, Osei-Akoto I, Otchere F, Sodzi-Tettey S, Barrington C, Huang C, Fordham C, Speizer I. Ghana’s National Health insurance scheme and maternal and child health: a mixed methods study. BMC Health Serv Res. 2015;15:108.CrossRef
34.
35.
36.
Busia K, Kasilo OM. Collaboration between traditional health practitioners and conventional health practitioners: some country experiences. Afr Health Monit. 2010;13:40–6.
Metadata
Title
Identifying strengths and weaknesses of the integration of biomedical and herbal medicine units in Ghana using the WHO Health Systems Framework: a qualitative study
Authors
Bernard Appiah
Isaac Kingsley Amponsah
Anubhuti Poudyal
Merlin Lincoln Kwao Mensah
Publication date
01-12-2018
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies / Issue 1/2018
Electronic ISSN: 2662-7671
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12906-018-2334-2

Other articles of this Issue 1/2018

BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 1/2018 Go to the issue

Research article

Effects of green tea extract on overweight and obese women with high levels of low density-lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C): a randomised, double-blind, and cross-over placebo-controlled clinical trial

Research article

Inhibitory effects of Euphorbia supina on Propionibacterium acnes-induced skin inflammation in vitro and in vivo

Research article

Spinacia oleracea extract attenuates disease progression and sub-chondral bone changes in monosodium iodoacetate-induced osteoarthritis in rats

Research article

Induction of programmed cell death in Trypanosoma cruzi by Lippia alba essential oils and their major and synergistic terpenes (citral, limonene and caryophyllene oxide)

Research article

Total Saikosaponins of Bupleurum yinchowense reduces depressive, anxiety-like behavior and increases synaptic proteins expression in chronic corticosterine-treated mice

Research article

Anti-cancer activity of Angelica gigas by increasing immune response and stimulating natural killer and natural killer T cells