The founder and Chief Executive Officer of the COA Research and Manufacturing Company Limited, Professor Samuel Ato Duncan, has urged the government to inject more resources into plant medicine and research.
That, he said, would enable the country to gather scientific data and develop parameters to guide the use of plant medicines in order to complete on the international market and rake in more foreign exchange.
“It is the way to go because it will add one commodity to gold and cocoa. The government must support with resources,” he said in an interview on the sidelines of the 6th Global Business Quality Awards and Summit 2022, last Friday.
The awards scheme organised by the Entrepreneurs Foundation of Ghana, in Accra, recognises business icons, indigenous and foreign companies operating in the country as well as products and services that have met quality standards.
Held on the theme “Celebrating Decades of Quality Global Brands in Ghana”38 business personalities and brands for distinguishing themselves in their respective industries.
Prof Duncan who is also the Founder Centre of Awareness Global Mission and COA Medical and Diagnostic Centre won the Quality Healthcare leadership while his products COA Mixture was adjudged the Best Quality Plant Medicine.
He said the African Continental Free Trade Agreement would help push herbal medicine if Ghana put measures in place for proper identification of plant medicine industries and given the best support.
“It is not easy to get into research. It involves a lot of resources and if the government support these worthy causes, I believe the country would go far. There is a lot of efficacious plant medicine in Ghana that we need a lot of push and I believe this is the way to go,” he said.
Asked what he was doing right to be winning multiple awards, Prof Duncan said, the company was observing good manufacturing practices and was continuously improving the quality of plant medicines.
He gave a hint that the company had more products in the offing and when they are released onto the market, it would bring some foreign exchange to the country.
“We are doing a lot and research is key. For research into HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), they are all ongoing and when ready Ghana will know,” he said.
BY JONATHAN DONKOR