The National Organiser of the Ghana Federation of Traditional Medicine Practitioner Association, Nana Kwadwo Obiri, says there is no available data at Korle-Bu to prove the upsurge in kidney cases is related to the consumption of herbal medicine.
Mr. Obiri said associating herbal medicine to kidney diseases is not right.
He said though there are many quack herbal practitioners in the system, that does not link them to the purported increase in kidney related diseases.
Meanwhile, practitioners in the health sciences want government to take concrete actions to stop the activities of illegal and unlicensed traditional medicine practitioners whose activities they say are contributing to the rise in chronic kidney cases.
According to them, in trying to seek help, patients diagnosed with hypertension and diabetes are deceived by these traditional medical practitioners and end up worsening the conditions of patients.
Currently, more than 12,000 kidney cases are recorded annually in Ghana, a situation the health scientists say is worrying and requires immediate attention.
These came to light at the 3rd Biennial Scientific Conference of the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana.
Health Scientists say the rise in hypertension, diabetes and chronic kidney cases can be linked to the abuse of unapproved herbal medicines sold on the market.
Deputy General Manager of Entrance Pharmaceuticals and Research Center Evelyn Biriwaa Offei called for strict regulatory measures to bring unlicensed herbal medicine practitioners under control.
Provost of the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Professor Patrick Ayeh Kumi said 12,000 cases of kidney failure are reported in Ghana annually and this is worrying.
The three day Biennial Scientific Conference will be discussing the relationship between genetics, hypertension, diabetes and herbal remedies in dealing with Kidney diseases.
