Mankessim herbal centre attracts long queues
The Odopee Herbal Research and Learning Centre in Mankessim in the Central Region is recording a surge in patient consultation for its herbal eye treatment.
More than 300 patients, an average of about 50 a day, visited the facility between December 7 and 10, after the Daily Graphic had first reported on the centre’s unique herbal treatment for various eye diseases.
Advertisement
The December 6 edition of the Daily Graphic reported on its front page that a herbalist in Mankessim, Mr John Kofi Sackey, aka Odopee, had discovered a potent herbal preparation that cured all kinds of eye diseases, including the dreadful glaucoma, which medical doctors say has no cure.
Last Tuesday, when the Daily Graphic team returned to the facility to do a follow-up, it realised that the centre had recorded its heaviest attendance yet, recording 100 fresh cases.
The patients, who had travelled from far places such as Accra, Kumasi, Sunyani, Kasoa, Nkawkaw, Cape Coast, among others, were full of praise for Mr Sackey for treating them free of charge, since they did not have regular income because of their plight.
Testimonies
Among the many people who have regained their sight at the Odopee Herbal Research and Learning Centre and testified to the Daily Graphic last Tuesday was a 77-year-old blind man, Mr Randolph Joseph Tenkorang from Nkawkaw, who was accompanied to the centre last Monday by his nephew, Walker Kwabena Awuakye.
Mr Tenkorang claimed that he had been totally blind for two years, but after undergoing the herbal treatment four times last Monday and the following day, he miraculously regained his sight, a claim which was confirmed by his nephew, Awuakye.
Mr Tenkorang said his brother based in the USA had read the Daily Graphic report online and directed him to seek treatment at the Odopee Herbal Centre.
He said within a short period of two days his sight had been restored.
A 54-year-old driver, Mr David Ahiable, who is the Regent of Lume Avetey and who had blurred vision and experienced pains in both eyes, with regular pus and watery eyes, told the Daily Graphic that he was completely relieved of the problems after undergoing the treatment for only two days.
Mr Kwadwo Owusu, 69, who is based in Norway, said the doctors in Norway damaged his right eye during a surgical operation to remove cataract.
He said he resisted a second operation on the left eye and was looking for alternative treatment when, fortunately, his uncle invited him to undergo herbal treatment at the Odopee Herbal Centre.
Mr Owusu, who said he had seen an improvement in his right eye after only two days of treatment, told the Daily Graphic that he would bring a number of blind and visually impaired Ghanaians from Norway to the centre for treatment if he received total cure for his eye problems.
Madam Esi Kwakyewaa, 60, from Enyan Denkyira, who suffered from cataract in both eyes and had the left eye damaged during a surgical operation at the Breman Asikuma Catholic Hospital, had had the sight restored at the Odopee Herbal Centre.
She said as Mr Sackey did not charge her a pesewa, she had decided to serve him for some time before leaving for her hometown.
Mr Andrews Botchwey, a 57-year-old blind man from Gomoa Manso, who was aided by his nephew, Stephen Kofi Adonko, confirmed to this writer that he could now see everything clearly after undergoing the herbal treatment for two days.
“I am now a living witness of the potency of Mr Sackey’s herbal cure, as I have regained my sight after experiencing blurred vision for years,” Mr Botchwey stressed.
Call for support
All the cured patients made a passionate appeal to the Ministry of Health, NGOs, corporate bodies and well-to-do individuals to provide logistical support for Mr Sackey to expand the herbal centre in order to cater for more blind people.
GHS investigations
When the Daily Graphic contacted the Mfantseman Municipal Director of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), Mr Martin Daanko, he confirmed the potency of Mr Sackey’s herbal preparation, even though it had not undergone any scientific analysis, only basing his assertion on the numerous testimonies by the cured eye patients.
Mr Daanko indicated that a team from the GHS Head Office in Accra would visit the Odopee Herbal Centre soon to assess the activities going on there.
Economic boost
While in Mankessim, the Daily Graphic observed that the high number of patients thronging the Odopee Herbal Centre had come with an unexpected business boost for taxi drivers and guest house operators.
Taxi drivers were having a field day, as almost every patient who arrived in the town with public transport relied on their services to be sent to the facility.
Also, all the hotels and guest houses in Mankessim, apart from Manna Heights, whose charges are beyond the means of the ordinary man on the street, are fully booked daily as a result of the influx of people to the town to receive the treatment and who are required to spend some days there.