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Africa on Monday celebrated the 24th African Traditional Medicine Day, with international experts and health leaders calling on governments across the continent to increase investment in research, regulation, and innovation to fully harness traditional medicine for universal health coverage.
The observance, commemorated annually on August 31, focused on strengthening traditional medicine as a credible, evidence-based pillar of Africa’s primary healthcare systems.
This year’s theme, “Reflection on research and development efforts of traditional medicine towards achieving universal health coverage in the African Region,” highlighted the need to translate ancient, community-held knowledge into modern healthcare solutions.
African Traditional Medicine Day traces its origin to a landmark World Health Organisation (WHO) resolution adopted during the 50th WHO Regional Committee meeting in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, in 2000.
Co-hosted by the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre and the WHO Regional Office for Africa, stakeholders gathered to address how scientific evidence, strategic innovation, and deep-rooted community trust can accelerate the integration of traditional practices into formal medical delivery.
“Traditional medicine remains an essential source of healthcare, particularly in rural communities where local practitioners often serve as the first point of contact,” the WHO stated via its official X account.
Highlighting the cultural legitimacy of practitioners, Temitayo Erogbogbo, Global Advocacy Director at Merck Sharp and Dohme for Mothers, emphasized that local trust is a vital healthcare asset.
He noted that traditional birth attendants and community healers can significantly improve maternal and general health outcomes when effectively integrated into national health networks.
Addressing scientific progress, Prof. Martins Emeje, Director-General of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency and Co-Chair of the WHO Strategic and Technical Advisory Group for Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, urged for stronger domestic funding to scientifically validate remedies.
Experts warned that vast stores of unrecorded traditional knowledge risk disappearing without systematic preservation, calling for urgent documentation and research to protect Africa’s rich biodiversity resources and spur pharmaceutical innovation.
The discussions aligned directly with the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, which prioritizes safe, evidence-based integration alongside modern biomedicine. Countries across the continent, including Cameroon, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, and Zimbabwe, marked the day with national activities aimed at empowering local practitioners and fostering digital research tools.
