A Philanthropist has built an orthopedic facility for a 120-year-old traditional bone-setter -Yaw Mahama popular in the Atiwa area in the Eastern Region for his traditional prowess in healing fractured bones and related musculoskeletal injuries.
The herbalist settled in the area and has been operating for nearly 100 years now.
The community where he works has been named after him -Yaw Mahama village which is near Akyem Kwabeng.
Among the thousands of people with fractured bones healed by the bonesetter include footballers, Chiefs, politicians, Pastors, farmers, drivers, accident victims among many others.
Yaw Mahama heals his clients virtually without a charge. He receives voluntary appreciation after healing clients.
No wonder, he continued to operate in a ramshackle structure in the village. However, his toil and sacrifices have been recognized by a businessman who has constructed an orthopedic facility for the old man.
The kind gesture by the businessman Samuel Kwaku Owusu-Manu, Chief Executive Officer of Ready Oil Company Limited was necessitated by the healing of his child who suffered fractured bones in an incident.
The Child couldn’t walk having been discharged from the hospital but got back to his feet in two weeks after undergoing herbal orthopedic treatment administered by the 120-year-old bonesetter.
Commissioning the building, Samuel Kwaku Owusu -Manu called on the government to integrate traditional bonesetters into the orthodox orthopedic healthcare system in the country.
According to him, traditional bonesetters have been part of Ghana’s traditional healthcare before the introduction of orthodox orthopedic healthcare. He said the traditional treatment of broken bones has proved to be more effective and reliable patronized by many Ghanaians with fractured bones hence the need for government to support traditional bonesetters and give them basic clinical knowledge to coexist with the orthodox medical system.
Mr. Kwaku Owusu-Manu also urged the Government to invest in research into herbal medicines and leverage on its efficacy and opportunities to improve the healthcare system, create jobs, and take in foreign exchange.
He said the over-concentration of orthodox medicines is killing the traditional herbal Industry in Ghana.
“Before the orthodox medicine came our forefathers were using herbal medicines to cure very effective diseases but we have abandoned it completely for orthodox drugs which have side effects. I want to appeal that we invest in research into herbal medicine to revive our herbal healthcare sector.”
He added “If the government and Pharmaceutical council Collaborate to establish a fund for herbal research it will enable the country produce herbal medicines that are effective to treat ailments here and even export some, this will bring Foreign exchange to support the economy and create jobs. My worry now is that despite the abundant raw herbal medicine resources we have here in Ghana, we are importing herbal medicines from China, Japan, etc which is sad”
The herbal center offers complete on-site evaluation and management for orthopedic trauma, from broken bones to torn muscles.
Children of the old man imparted with the traditional knowledge of healing fractured bones are holding down the fort under the tutelage of their father.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Obed Ansah
