Nairobi 1st, September : African countries should make use of traditional medicines that have proven efficient in the treatment and treatment of diseases that affect the population of the continent according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) official said.WHO Regional Director for Africa Matshidiso Mokoeti on Wednesday highlighted the vital importance of herbalism in decreasing the burden of non-communicable and infectious illnesses in the African continent.
“Traditional medical practices have been the reliable affordable, dependable, and easily accessible source of health care for the African people for many centuries,” Moeti said in an announcement in Nairobi the Kenyan capital, to mark 2022 African Traditional Medicine Day.
Eighty percent of Africa’s population is dependent on traditional medicine to meet their primary health requirements, she said, adding that the continent has prioritized its development through the enactment of policies that promote research and education, Xinhua news agency reported.
The 2022 African Traditional Medicine Day was being celebrated with the concept of “Two Decades of African Traditional Medicine Day Progress toward achieving universal health Coverage in Africa”.
Moeti said that in the past two decades Europe has come up with innovative strategies to integrate traditional medical practices in national healthcare programs.
Particularly, Moeti said, more than 40 African countries have developed national traditional medical guidelines in the year of 2022, an increase from the eight in 2000.Meanwhile, thirty countries have incorporated traditional medical practices into their national health policies.
“Additionally 39 countries have formulated legal frameworks for traditional medical practitioners, compared to just one in 2000, which is a sign of good governance and leadership” she added.
At present 34 research institutes that are focused on developing research, development, and commercialisation of traditional medicine have been established in 26 countries, Moeti said.
She said that 12 African countries have committed funds for the research and development of traditional medicine, noting that the domestication of WHO protocol on the safety and effectiveness of traditional medicines has increased their application in treating diseases of priority like malaria, HIV/AIDs and hypertension and diabetes.
int/khz/
.
