The World Health Organization (WHO) is urging African nations to strategically integrate scientifically proven traditional medicine into their national health systems. This integration is championed as a pivotal pathway to achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) across the continent.
The call was made by Dr. Angela Ackon, Technical Officer for Quality and Safety at the WHO Ghana Office, during her address at the 23rd International Conference on AIDS and STIs in Africa (ICASA 2025). Dr. Ackon underscored that with 80% of the global population relying on traditional medicine, its deep-rooted use and acceptance in African communities present a unique opportunity to bridge healthcare gaps.
“The integration of proven traditional medicine enhances access and equity, particularly in remote and underserved areas,” Dr. Ackon stated. “It supports a holistic, patient-centred model of care that can lead to improved health outcomes and, with proper standardization, fewer side effects.”
The WHO highlighted measurable progress, noting a five-fold increase in registered traditional medicine products in Africa—from 20 in 2000 to 100 in 2023—coupled with a doubling of related research funding. Ghana was cited as a leading example, having increased its facilities that integrate traditional and allopathic care from 19 to 55 over the last ten years.
Despite this momentum, experts at the conference identified persistent hurdles. Dr. Mavis Boakye Yiadom, Head of Clinical Research at Ghana’s Centre for Plant Medicine Research, pointed out a major accessibility barrier: despite policy integration, herbal medicines are not covered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS). She also emphasized the critical need for harmonized safety and efficacy standards across the continent.
Dr. Yiadom raised a pressing sustainability concern: “We are using plants, but we are not cultivating them adequately. If this continues, these vital medicinal plants face extinction. To secure our future, we urgently need to invest in large-scale plant medicine farms.”
The WHO’s framework for moving forward includes continued capacity building, technical assistance for robust clinical research, and the development of policies that foster collaboration between traditional practitioners and conventional healthcare providers. The ultimate goal is to ensure that traditional medicine products are safe, effective, quality-assured, and accessible to all populations, thereby strengthening the journey toward health for all in Africa.
Source: citinewsroom.com
