The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing African traditional medicine through research, policy integration and scientific validation.
This was highlighted in a message from WAHO's Director General, Dr Melchior Athanase JC Aïssi, at the 23rd African Traditional Medicine Day (ATMD), celebrated annually on August 31,2025.
Speaking to health sector stakeholders, traditional medicine practitioners, policymakers and citizens of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Burkina Faso, Dr Aïssi described African traditional medicine as a "path to the future" and a key driver for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC) in the region.
The 2025 celebration was themed "Strengthening the Evidence Base for Traditional Medicine", which Dr Aïssi described as a call to rigorously evaluate and validate traditional health practices.
