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The Traditional Medicine Practice Council (TMPC) has shut down three body massage spas in the Ashanti Regional capital, Kumasi, for operating without valid licenses. The enforcement action, which targeted facilities in the Ahodwo and Daban suburbs, primarily affected businesses run by Chinese nationals who had failed to comply with the regulatory standards set by the Council. This move highlights a tightening of oversight in the regional wellness and traditional medicine sector as authorities seek to ensure public safety and professional compliance.
This crackdown is grounded in the Traditional Medicine Practice Council Act 2000 (Act 575), which mandates that all practitioners and facilities offering massage and related traditional therapies must obtain the necessary permits and credentials before starting operations. Divine Azraku, the TMPC’s Ashanti Regional Regulation Officer, noted that the affected facilities had previously been granted an opportunity to rectify their licensing status and comply with regulatory requirements. However, following their failure to do so, the Council moved to cease their operations to prevent the unauthorized provision of health-related services.
The Kumasi closures are part of a broader, intensified enforcement campaign across Ghana. The TMPC reported that it has inspected more than 500 facilities nationwide this year alone. This proactive approach has already yielded significant results in other regions; similar operations in Accra have led to the closure of eight herbal shops and six spas for various regulatory infractions during the same period. The Council remains focused on ensuring that all wellness and herbal medicine providers meet national safety and professional standards to protect the public from substandard practices.
Moving forward, the TMPC has signaled that these inspections will continue as part of a sustained effort to sanitize the traditional medicine and wellness industry. Mr. Azraku emphasized that operators must strictly adhere to the legal framework or face further sanctions. As the demand for massage and traditional therapies grows, the regulator is urging the public to patronize only licensed facilities and to verify that practitioners hold the required credentials to operate in Ghana.