The Ministry of Health (MoH) after a series of deliberations says it has thrown a challenge to all herbal medicine practitioners across the country to develop medications which can prove to be helpful in the fight against COVID-19.

Already the Ministry of Health has given an executive clearance to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to allow the importation of active ingredients for the manufacturing of hydroxychloroquine to augment the stock within the country for the use of pharmaceutical companies.

However, Deputy Health Minister Alexander Kodjo Kom Abban says traditional and herbal medicine producers have also been engaged on COVID-19 in a bid to solicit their efforts and to explore the potentials of the orthodox practitioners in the fight against the pandemic.

Speaking to Blessed Sogah on 'State of Affairs'a news analysis programme on Class91.3FM Mr Abban said: “The traditional medicine practitioners in Ghana, they were here in their numbers at the ministry, we have had discussions with them and the challenge has been thrown to them if any can bring a solution to it, those in allopathic practice and those in traditional medicine practice.”

According to Mr Abban, the challenge has begun yielding positive results as some local herbal medicine manufacturers have produced hand sanitisers in large quantities for the use of the general public.