The integration of traditional and alternative medicine: what lies behind?

The use of traditional herbal medicine in Ghana is not new, but it has never been fully integrated into the public healthcare system. In 2011, the government of Ghana started the integration of Traditional and Alternative Medicine (TAM) into the mainstream public healthcare system as a pilot project. The integration was mandated by the Alma-Ata Decla-ration in 1978 and the Ouagadougou Resolution by WHO. The integration of TAM into public healthcare is the government's effort to recognize traditional medicine and its practitioners as part of the national healthcare system, to promote universal healthcare for all, and grant service users their fundamental human rights. Even though the integration has been largely successful, there are still some key challenges hinder-ing service delivery.. My research documents how the integrations of TAM into the public healthcare system was done and identify barriers and/or opportunities the integration of TAM have brought into the Ghanaian healthcare system.