Health Minister Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh has underscored the urgent need for stronger regulation of traditional medicine and funeral practices to promote public safety and human dignity in Ghana.
Speaking at the swearing-in ceremony of five new governing boards of health regulatory institutions, the Minister specifically charged the Centre for Plant Medicine Research (CPMR) and the Mortuaries and Funeral Facilities Agency (MoFFA) to play transformative roles.
He urged CPMR to intensify efforts to make herbal medicine—which over 70% of Ghanaians rely on—safer, scientifically validated, and globally competitive. “We must move beyond anecdotal cures to evidence-based solutions that uphold public confidence,” the Minister said.
Turning to MoFFA, Hon. Akandoh emphasized that the increasing commercialization of funeral services must not erode human dignity. “Dignity must not end with life,” he stated, calling on the board to ensure proper standards, ethical practices, and improved oversight across mortuaries and funeral facilities.
The Minister reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing health regulation in both life and death, and to positioning Ghana as a leader in culturally sensitive, yet scientifically sound, health practices.
