Sponsors:

DECLARATION

The Global Summit on HIV/AIDS, Traditional Medicine & Indigenous Knowledge Conference commenced with scientific and technical submissions at the Ghana Institute of Management & Public Administration on Tuesday, March 14, 2006. The conference was officially launched by Honourable Courage Quarshigah, Minister of Health, Republic of Ghana.

The objectives of the Summit were:

1.       To serve as a forum for the identification and testing of potentially beneficial low-cost naturally-derived medicinal products;

2.      To promote partnerships between indigenous healers, conventional medical practitioners and corporate institutions for sharing their indigenous knowledge of plants of medicinal value for future development and production of drugs and herbal products; and

3.      To encourage governments to adopt and enforce laws to protect and conserve plants of medicinal value; and to protect the rights of indigenous practitioners.

LONG TERM OBJECTIVES:

1. Serve as a major forum for bringing together conventional medical practitioners and traditional healer, so as to facilitate mutual awareness, respect and training in diagnostic and therapeutic best practices.

2. Advocate the integration of indigenous knowledge, which consists of ancient languages, physical, spiritual and cultural forms of local skills, into educational and technical systems in order to ensure the preservation of this knowledge-base and its use by present and future generations towards social, cultural and economic development.

After five (5) days of submissions and engaging deliberations, the Global Summit adjourned on March 18, 2006, with the declaration and proclamation as follows:

That we, the participants of the Global Summit on HIV/AIDS, Traditional Medicine, and Indigenous Knowledge, on the basis of stated objectives and on the strength of the findings of this conference, call upon the Ministry of Health of the host country and those represented by their delegates present, the World Health Organization, United Nations Joint Programmes on HIV/AIDS, associated organizations and all governments and world organizations to support traditional medical practices through:

    (1) Promotion of traditional medical practice through collaboration with and recognition by existing healthcare systems and introduction of Traditional medicine into research and educational curricula at all levels with particular emphasis on the youth.

 

    (2) Institutionalisation of Traditional Medical Practice within governments, with implementation of standardization and a code of ethics for Traditional Medical Practitioners.

    (3) Training and certification of Traditional Medical Practitioners in safe practices, addressing both indigenous and academic areas, in accordance with customary laws.

 

    (4) Promotion of collaboration and three-way referrals between traditional and orthodox medical practitioners, i.e. Traditional Medical Practitioners to Traditional Medical Practitioners, Traditional Medical Practitioners- to- Conventional Medical Practitioner, Doctors-to-Traditional Medical Practitioners. 

That we urge State parties, governments and multilateral organizations to respect the customary laws and practices that define access and availability of indigenous cultural knowledge, and to ensure adequate and mutually acceptable exchanges.

We request governments and funding agencies to commit resources and funding to achieve the stated goals.

Declared in the City of Accra, Republic of Ghana, this 18^th day of March, 2006

1. DR. ALIOU BALDE, UNIVERSITY OF CONAKRY, REPUBLIC OF GUINEA

2. DR. MARY ANN RICHARDSON, NATIONAL FOUNDATION FOR ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE, WASHINGTON DC USA

 

3. DR. ROKIA SANOGO, UNIVERSITY OF MALI

 

4. DR. A. KWEKU ANDOH, NORTH SCALE EDUCATION & RESEARCH INSTITUTE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, USA

 

5. DR. LAURA LOUIE, VANCOUVER, CANADA

 

6. MR. I.A. JEGEDE, NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR PHARMACEUTICAL RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT, ABUJA, NIGERIA

 

7. DR. RICHARD FRU, GARDEN OF EDEN, CAMEROON

 

8. MR. S.D. BROWN-UMAR, SALIHUMAR & ASSOCIATES, GHANA

 

9. DR. RODWELL VONGO, TRADITIONAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS ASSOCIATION, ZAMBIA

 

10. MATTHEW FRITTS, MPH, SAMUELI INSTITUTE, USA

 

11. DR. ALAIN DOMINIQUE ZOUBGA, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, BURKINA FASO

 

12. MR. ESSOSSIMIMINAM LAKASSA, SECRETARY GENERAL, L’ASSOCIATION DES THERAPEUTES TRADITIONNELS DU TOGO

 

13. MS. MACDILLA HOWARD, COUNSELLING COORDINATOR, NATIONAL AIDS & STI CONTROL, LIBERIA

 

14. MS. BEATRICE DLAMINI, MANAGER, SWAZILAND NATIONAL AIDS/STI PROGRAM

 

15. DR. THEOPHILUS B. KWOFIE, KWAME NKRUMAH UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, KUMASI, GHANA

 

16. DR. GILBERT L. ROCHON, PURDUE UNIVERSITY, INDIANA USA

 

17. DR. RICHARD NAGLER, BARRON MEDICAL CENTER-MAYO HEALTH SYSTEM, WISCONSIN, USA

 

18. TOGBEGA DABRA VI, PRESIDENT/CEO, PROMETRA GHANA

 

19. DR. MATTHEW PKJ THEU, INTERNATIONAL TRADITIONAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS & RESEARCH COUNCIL, MALAWI

 

20. MR. FRANCIS OSEI-BOATENG, AKOMA PHARMACEUTICALS LTD, KUMASI, GHANA

 

21. DR. MRS. EZINNE ENWEREJI, ABIA STATE UNIVERSITY, NIGERIA

 

22. MR. KOJO EDUFUL, FIRST VICE PRESIDENT, GHANA FEDERATION OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE PRACTITIONERS ASSOCIATIONS

 

23. MR. ERIC J. BUENZ, MAYO CLINIC COLLEGE OF MEDICINE, ROCHESTER, MINNESOTA, USA

 

24. DR. LUC .A. PIETERS, UNIVERSITY OF ANTWERP, BELGIUM, MEMBER, SOCIETY FOR MEDICAL PLANT RESEARCH

 

25. MR. JACOB AMOAH, M&J HEALTH MANAGEMENT CONSUJLT, GHANA

 

26. PROFESSOR DUO GAO, CHAIRMAN, ANGLO-CHINESE DOCTORS SOCIETY, ENGLAND

 

27. PROFESSOR YILAN SHEN, ANGLO-CHINESE DOCTORS SOCIETY, ENGLAND

 

28. DR. KOFI KONDWANI, MOREHOUSE SCHOOL OF MEDICINE, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, USA

 

29. PROFESSOR ESTHER KIBUKA SEBITOSI, CENTRE  FOR AFRICAN RENAISSANCE STUDIES, UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA

 

30. DR. RUDOLPH C. RYSER, CHAIR OF THE BOARD, CENTER FOR WORLD INDIGENOUS STUDIES, OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON, USA

 

31. MS. VALERIE ETIM, TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE DIVISION, WORLD INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY ORGANIZATION, SWITZERLAND

 

32. MR. JACOB MUHANDO NYANGILA, KENYA RESOURCE CENTER FOR INDIGENOUS KNOWLEDGE

 

33. WILLIAM O. HENNESSEY, ESQ, PROFESSOR OF LAW, CHAIR, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY PROGRAM, FRANKLIN PIERCE LAW CENTER, CONCORD, NEW HAMPSHIRE, USA

 

34. DR. ALEX OPIO CHONO, HEAD OF CLINICAL RESEARCH, TRADITIONAL & MODERN HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS TOGETHER AGAINST AIDS (THETA), UGANDA

 

35. MR. KENNETH DANSO, SENIOR EXECUTIVE MEMBER, GHANA FEDERATION OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE PRACTITIONERS ASSOCIATIONS

 

36. DR. EUGENE RICHARD ATLEO, HEREDITARY CHIEF OF THE AHOUSAHT, BRITISH COLUMBIA, CANADA

 

37. DR. GODFREY B.R. SWAI, BASIC TECHNOLOGY ACCESS TRUST, TANZANIA

 

38. FIONA EBERTS, FRANCE

 

39. POSHENDRA SATYAL PRAVAT, FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCES, THE OPEN UNIVERSITY, UNITED KINGDOM

 

40. SHARON LEFLORE, MINNESOTA USA

 

41. CELESTE EVANS, MEMBER, NATIONAL BLACK NURSES ASSOCIATION, NEW JERSEY USA

 

42. LAWRENCE SEWER, ST. THOMAS, VIRGINS ISLAND USA

 

43. SONITA SINGH, MISSISSIPPI, USA

 

44. DR. AFIA ZAKIYA, NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE, ABUJA, NIGERIA

 

45. PROFESSOR IDA TAFARI, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

 

46. SANDRA OMALI, NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC INSTITUTE, ABUJA, NIGERIA

 

47. GRACE QUAN, CANADA INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

 

48. YEMI LAWAL, UNITED KINGDOM

 

49. CHIEF OBIEFUNA ARINZE AUSTIN, AFRO GLOBAL ALLIANCE

 

50. PIERRE BIGIRIMANA, CANADA INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY

 

51. NANTOMAH ADAM

 

52. HOLY PROPHET JONATHAN K. AGUMEY,

 

53. GODFREY BOATENG, SECRETARY GENERAL, GHANA FEDERATION OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE PRACTITIONERS ASSOCIATIONS

 

54. RICHARD FEDIELEY, MINISTRY OF HEALTH

 

55. REV. ELIAS KWAKU ASIAMA

 

56. JULIET OPPONG

 

57. KOFI FREEMAN, FARRA FREEMAN COMPANY

 

58. MRS. ROSLINE DUGAN, SAVE MOTHERHOOD FOUNDATION

 

59. IAN HODGSON, UNIVERSITY OF BRADFORD, UNITED KINGDOM

 

60. ALISON COHEN, HARVARD UNIVERSITY, CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSSETS

 

61. KATE TURNER

 

62. DR. F.K. FREMPONG

 

63. ALFRED ASARE NKRUMAH

 

64. FLORENCE GYAU

 

65. MR. PETER ARHIN, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, REPUBLIC OF GHANA

 

66. TANIA SHERIFF

 

67. GEORGE AGYEMFRAH, MINISTRY OF HEALTH, REPUBLIC OF GHANA

 

68. APOSTLE EMMANUEL H. AGBALENYOH

 

69. PETER AVINU

 

70. WINDHAM EMIL AFRAM

 

71. DR. BA-LAGI GREGORY LUGU-ZURI

 

72. CHERIE CARTER, US PEACE CORPS, VOLUNTEER

 

73. MARY LIZ KAH, US PEACE CORPS, VOLUNTEER

 

74. JENELLE STEWART, US PEACE CORPS, VOLUNTEER

 

75. YAW AKRASI SARPONG

 

76. OWUSU ACHIAMPIM PAXMAN

 

77. THOMAS APPIAH MENSAH

 

78. DR. ONENEBA AKWASI AMOAKO

 

79. DR. KWASI DENU, HOLY TRINITY CLINIC, ACCRA

 

80. IYORE ENNIN, NOGUCHI MEMORIAL INSTITUTE FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH

 

81. J.BOELAERT

 

82. HON. EMMANUEL TETTEH

 

83. NANA ADJOA AGYEMANG CORBBY

 

84. J. WILLIAM DANQUAH, AFRICA FIRST, LLC

 

85. SAMPSON FOLI, AFRO GLOBAL ALLIANCE

 

86. MS. ANKE WEISHEIT, MBARARA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, UGANDA

 

87. DR. ALFRED ARYEE ARMAH

 

88. Y. E. S.  ANKOU