Only 15% of Ghana's 100,000 traditional healers registered—TMPC warns public to verify practitioners

Ghana's Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC) has exposed a critical gap in the regulation of the nation's herbal and traditional medicine sector, disclosing that fewer than 15 per cent of more than 100,000 traditional medicine practitioners operating in the country are officially registered. The revelation underscores mounting challenges in bringing the sprawling informal health sector under proper oversight, even as approximately 70 per cent of Ghanaians rely on traditional medicine as part of their primary healthcare.

Dr Yakubu Tobor Yusuf, Registrar of the TMPC, made the disclosure at a media launch marking the 2026 African Traditional Medicine Day in Accra, signalling an intensified push to clamp down on unregistered practitioners and unsafe facilities. The council has stepped up efforts over the past six months, establishing new regional and district offices and engaging practitioner associations to boost registration rates.

Enforcement actions and public health risks

The TMPC has conducted inspections of more than 500 traditional medicine practice premises across Ghana, discovering widespread non-compliance with health and safety standards. Several facilities have been ordered closed due to hazards posed to public health. Dr Yusuf also revealed that the council has tracked over 500 practitioners marketing unregistered medicines via social media platforms—an enforcement priority going forward.

To protect consumers, the TMPC is urging Ghanaians to demand sight of a practitioner's licence before seeking treatment. Every licensed premise is required by law to display its licence on the wall, featuring a QR code that allows the public to verify the practitioner's legitimate status. This simple step aims to combat the proliferation of unlicensed operators who exploit public trust and pose genuine risks to patient safety.

Penalties for illegal practice are severe. The law provides for summary conviction of up to 500 penalty units (approximately GH¢6,000), two years' imprisonment, or both for practitioners operating without a licence. The TMPC has already initiated action against at least one traditional medicine practitioner in the Volta Region, who has been arrested and is expected to face prosecution.

Why it matters for Ghana

The regulation of traditional medicine is not merely an administrative concern—it strikes at the heart of Ghana's public health infrastructure. With seven in ten Ghanaians relying on herbal remedies, the safety and efficacy of these products directly affect the nation's health outcomes. Unregistered practitioners and unverified products create space for harmful practices, drug interactions, and delayed diagnosis of serious illnesses.

The TMPC's efforts to standardise training are also significant. The council is reviewing a six-month competency-based curriculum for indigenous practitioners—including herbalists, bone setters, birth attendants and spiritual healers—to be delivered in local languages. This approach recognises the deep cultural roots of traditional medicine while introducing quality assurance mechanisms.

Collaboration with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) is central to the strategy. Licensed practitioners may prepare fresh, unlabelled herbal remedies for individual patients, but any stored, labelled or branded products must undergo FDA certification and registration. This distinction balances traditional practice with consumer protection.

Research and professionalisation

The TMPC is also championing research into traditional medicine. Institutions including KNUST and Central University are investigating standardised herbal products for managing hypertension and pain relief, supported by German Technical Cooperation (GIZ) and PharmaVax. Such research is essential to validate traditional knowledge against modern scientific standards and establish safety profiles.

Practitioners must renew their licences annually, with renewal contingent on continuous professional development, payment of prescribed fees, and re-inspection of premises. This rolling oversight model ensures that standards are maintained across the sector.

For Ghanaian consumers, the message is clear: verify before you trust. In a landscape where traditional medicine is woven into the nation's healthcare fabric, regulatory transparency and professional accountability are not optional extras—they are essential safeguards.