From creating herbal poultices to teaching CPR to children, Lydia Akoto reflects on natural medicine experience in her homeland.

Have you ever heard of the saying that we learn the most outside the confines of a classroom? Where our imagination can run freely, teaching, educating, guiding us in ways books never could, and our minds open to endless possibilities? This idea was at the heart of my recent journey to Ghana, where I witnessed firsthand the challenges, changes, and progress within communities. 

It’s also why I ended up at a local community that I was not familiar with, nor did I speak their local tribal dialect, exploring the intersection of health and community development.

The fieldwork project, which I titled “From Herbs and Hope to Roots of Resilience,” became a beautiful experience of immersion and learning as I tried to navigate the fusion of traditional and modern medicine, all with the goal of understanding and creating a well-being in local small communities. 

My first month was spent at Greenfield Herbal Clinic, one of Tema’s oldest naturopathic clinics, renowned for its commitment to holistic and culturally respectful healing. Here the doctors spoke all the dialects from all the tribes, they wanted to make sure every patient could be heard, and information could be relayed without any miscommunication.

I saw treatments that were grounded in naturopathic principles and drew valuable insights into the clinic’s relationship with local herbalists who respected and honored the land they sourced their herbs from. I was also able to have some hands-on experience from helping to set bones and creating herbal poultices to help heal the broken bones, herbs to heal diabetes, infertility and even stroke.

This experience reinforced the potential of natural medicine and reminded me of the importance of respecting and preserving traditional knowledge while supporting patients’ needs. 

The following month, I collaborated with the social welfare team in Nungua Tema. We organized community outreach programs focused on child protection, mental health, and family wellness. Together, we traveled to various communities and educated parents on positive discipline, raised awareness about abuse, and helped foster environments where children feel safe to speak up.

Among our initiatives were workshops on creating reusable pads and basic life skills training for children, like CPR. Coming back to Ghana after many years away was a journey of discovery and reconnection. This experience has deepened my appreciation for my homeland.

Through my fieldwork, I gained invaluable skills, a renewed sense of purpose, and a better understanding of the challenges and triumphs within Ghana’s healthcare system. 

This story is by Lydia Akoto, a fourth-year dual degree student in the Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine and Master of Science in Global Health programs at the National University of Natural Medicine in Portland, Oregon. It appeared in its original form in the SUGS Pulse newsletter on November 8, 2024.