The primary objective of this project is to improve to promote biodiversity conservation and utilization to contribute to the traditional health care services facilities and establishment of herbal gardens in Upper West Region.
1.4.2 Specific objectives:
? To promote the conservation of extinct medicinal herbs and plants through education, maintenance of indigenous community conserved areas and establishment of a medicinal gardens in homes and compounds.
? To build the capacities and certify Traditional Health Practitioners (THP), Traditional Healers and Traditional Birth Attendants (TBA) on herbal medicine best practices and herbal medicine production value chain, maternal health care services and personal hygiene and acquire certificates to Health Practitioners.
? To support the operations of Traditional Health Practitioners (THP) with traditional health clinic, services and equipment for the processing traditional medicine into tea, capsules, tablets, and extraction of essential oils (Neem, Baobab, Moring, soya beans etc.).
1.4.3 Project Outputs
a) 350 traditional health practitioners trained and certified on herbal medicine best practices.
b) 40 ICCAs and two CREMAs enhanced and conserved through enrichment planting and establishment of medicinal gardens.
c) A traditional health facility established at Wa to offer training to THP, TBA process traditional medicine into tea, capsules, tablets, essential oils and liquids for oral use.

1.5 DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT ACTIVITIES
Output 1: 350 traditional health practitioner trained and certified on herbal medicine best practices
Planned Activities
1.5.1.1 A three (3)-days stakeholder consultation and dialogue meetings will be conducted in the Region prior to project implementation, to include Project Team Members and key stakeholders (District and Regional Health Directors, Ghana Standard Authority, Food and Drag Board, Forestry Commission, Traditional Authorities, Traditional Healers Association, Community members, etc.) to seek for their support, ideas and collaboration which will also serve as a basis planning and decision making during project implementation.
1.5.1.2 Organize sensitization meetings on herbal medicine best practices, maternal health care and personal hygiene in project communities. The project Team will select two communities from each of the 9 districts to be used as project communities.
1.5.1.3 The project will organize 18 community meetings (one in each participating community) and educate community members and Traditional Health Practitioners on safe use and production of herbal medicine, safe child delivery and personal. The various Health Practitioners in each community would be mobilized and prepare them for the selection of 3 representatives (making a total of 54 participants) to be trained as trainers in each community. The community meetings will also be used to create awareness on the importance of medicinal plants and the need for its conservation. Means of communication will be in a form of dialogue on local media to give room for locals to share their opinions, concerns and also seek for their consensus. Organizing sensitization meetings at each community level remains the better option to touch the largest number of community members.
1.5.1.4 Strengthens the capacities of Traditional Health Practitioners on herbal medicine best practices and production value chain, maternal health care and personal hygiene. The project team in collaboration with consultants will group Practitioners under each district and organize 27-days capacity building workshops (3-days in each district). Participants will be briefed on some basic policies and laws relating to the production and use of herbal medicine. Participants will be trained on the herbal medicine production value chain (harvesting of raw materials, modern techniques in processing, packaging and storage), safe use of medicine, safe child delivery, personal hygiene, maternal Health care etc. Training will be in a form of participatory learning approach with practical demonstrations and hands-on activities with simplified outlines and guidelines. The use of participatory learning Approach which will combine both formal and informal practical learning approach will encourage learning for both the literate and the illiterate who will be trained as trainers in their respective communities.
1.5.1.5 Organize meetings in each community to mobilize the existing Traditional Healers and Traditional Birth Attendants, register them and support them in certification process. The project team in collaboration with leaders of Traditional Healers Association will mobilize individual members into localized groups in each community and elect local leaders who will serve as the direct contact persons with the project team for the purposes of liaising and certification process. Practitioners will be educated on the necessity of acquiring certificates and will be supported to obtain certificates for their operations.

Output 2: 40 ICCAs and two CREMAs enhanced and conserved through enrichment planting and establishment of medicinal gardens.
1.5.2.1 Survey and document all ICCAs in the region where traditional herbs are harvested.
1.5.2.3 Document the status of each ICCA.
1.5.2.3 Develop rehabilitation plan for each Herbal group that harvest from the ICCA
1.5.2.4 Raise about 10,000 medicinal plants (comprising of about 10 different extinct species) and established about 9- hectare medicinal plants garden.

The project team in collaboration with Forest Services Division will organize 3-days training attached with field demonstration on Silvicultural operations (such as raising of seedling, tree planting, cultural practices etc.), collection of herbal products and storage etc. 10,000 medicinal herbs and plants (including Pterocarpus erinaceus, Khaya ivorensis, Babin, Kondau, Chie juri, Xamona Americana, Sigrea, Fern, Yealea, Gagua, Limpinyaara, etc.) will be raised at Wa and supplied to Traditional Health Practitioners for the establishment of herbal gardens (covering an area of about 0.2 hectares each).

Output 3: A traditional health facility established at Wa to offer training to THP, TBA process traditional medicine into tea, capsules, tablets, essential oils and liquids for oral use.

1.5.3.1 Support the completion of the Herbal facility at Wa.
The project will support the completion of 8- course structure (which has already begun) for a herbal clinic at Wa. The Herbal clinic when completed will be open to all the Health Practitioners where they can come and process their products at an agreed cost. The clinic will be linked to Food and Drag Board and Ghana Standard Authority to continuously supervise and monitor production process and service delivery. An arrangement will be made with the Regional Health Director to assign a visiting Health Assistant to attend to patients. Special Management Team will be formed to manage the clinic and the production unit who will manage funds that will be generated from production activities.
1.5.2 Support the Association to acquire modern equipment for the processing of traditional medicine into tea, capsules, tablets and extraction of essential oils (Neem, Baobab, Moring, soya beans etc.) and a record system in the processing of the medicine. The herbal equipment will include a capsulation, tabulation and tea bag machines will be purchased and installed at the processing department of the herbal clinic at Wa where herbal drugs would be manufactured.
1.5.3 Train local practitioners on the use and maintenance of the machine. Trainers will be mandated to provide continuous training, monitoring and supervision of processing activities. The use of medicine will reduce waste that is generated in the traditional herbal processing method which will reduce the amount of raw materials needed which will directly reduce the amount of raw materials needs thereby conserving medicinal plants and herb. Moreover, a technique will be adopted to ensure product traceability during packaging and labeling.