Health
WHO, NNMDA demand investment in traditional medicine research to achieve UHC
As Nigeria joins the rest of Africa to mark the 2026 African Traditional Medicine Day, medical experts, the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency and the World Health Organisation have called for increased investment in traditional medicine research and development.
They said stronger investment in traditional medicine research was needed to accelerate universal health coverage in Africa.
According to them, Africa cannot achieve universal health coverage by abandoning traditional medicine, noting it remains an important source of healthcare, particularly in rural communities.
In many of these communities, traditional practitioners are often the first point of contact.
The experts spoke at an event organised by the NNMDA in Lagos on Monday to mark the 2026 African Traditional Medicine Day.
The theme of the year’s celebration was “Reflection on Research and Development Efforts of Traditional Medicine Towards Achieving Universal Health Coverage in the African Region.”
The theme underscores the need to transform traditional medicine knowledge into practical solutions.
The event also featured an awareness walk by NNMDA staff to highlight the importance of traditional medicine.
African Traditional Medicine Day is celebrated on August 31 every year. It recognises the role of traditional medicine in the health and wellbeing of generations of Africans.
The experts said traditional medicine could strengthen primary healthcare if supported by scientific evidence, effective regulation, innovation and sustained investment.
In his presentation titled “The Role of Research and Development of Traditional Medicines Towards Achieving Universal Health Coverage in the African Region,” the keynote speaker, Prof. Andrew Uloko, said all health sector stakeholders must understand the role of traditional medicine in achieving UHC.
Uloko is a professor of medicine and endocrinology at Bayero University, Kano, and a consultant endocrinologist at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital.
He said there was no conflict of interest between biomedicine and traditional medicine.
The physician noted that practitioners of both forms of medicine were not in competition.
Citing the high cost of orthodox medicines in Nigeria, more than 70 per cent of which are imported, according to available evidence, Uloko said traditional medicine could complement orthodox drugs if properly harnessed through research and development.
The endocrinologist said traditional medicine should be integrated into the health system to make universal health coverage effective.
“The potential contribution of traditional medicines to UHC remains untapped. Africa cannot achieve UHC without seriously addressing traditional medicine. Research provides evidence and innovation provides solutions. We must move from tradition to evidence,” he noted.
Uloko said research and development were critical to ensuring the efficacy, safety and quality of traditional medicines.
He added that regulatory agencies must ensure that such medicines meet the required standards.
This, he said, would improve access to quality healthcare, which is a key goal of UHC.
“Research ensures safety, efficacy and quality. Anything we use in traditional medicine must be documented.
“Traditional medicine use is important but must go through all the processes. We cannot run away from safety, quality assurance, appropriate dosage, adverse side effects, standardisation and correct identity.
“The process of research must be respected,” the endocrinologist said.
He described research as the bridge between traditional and modern healthcare.
“Research does not reduce traditional medicine. There must be all stakeholders’ involvement and people-centred community engagement.
“We need to see the implementation work. We must all work together as a team,” he said.
The Director-General of NNMDA, Prof. Martins Emeje, said the agency decided to mark this year’s African Traditional Medicine Day differently.
He said the agency invited a professor of medicine to speak on traditional medicine and its role in achieving UHC.
Emeje said the move was also aimed at showing that biomedicine and traditional medicine were not in competition.
He urged stakeholders to work together in the interest of Nigerians.
The professor of pharmacy and Fellow of the Nigerian Academy of Science said, “So you will appreciate that we strategically, deliberately, calmly brought a keynote speaker who is a professor of medicine because I have been saying that I am working with so many professors of medicine.
“Some people who will never believe anything good in this country thought that I was just talking.”
According to him, any country that fails to prioritise research and development of its own natural resources towards getting local medicines will suffer from medicine insecurity.
“The worst forms of insecurity that you can suffer from are food insecurity and medicine insecurity.
“Where natural medicine is strategically different and more important is because we combine both food and medicine.
“You know, the beauty of natural medicine is that our food is the raw material. It is the building block for making our medicines.
“That’s what is different. So, development of natural medicine means we are developing and ensuring good food and medicine security. And you can only do this through research and development”, he noted.
The pharmacist said research and development in traditional medicine would help build confidence in locally developed medicines.
“Universal health coverage means access to medicines and quality medicines when you are supposed to access them.
“Quality and quantity must be affordable and accessible. So that is how we connect it,” the researcher said.
Emeje, who is the Co-Chair of the World Health Organisation’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, maintained that Nigeria could not achieve UHC without traditional medicine.
“All we need is support, consistency and sustainability. If we do that, we will achieve our ultimate goal of ensuring that there is universal health coverage in our area.
“You cannot achieve universal health coverage without traditional medicine,” he added.
He also urged the private sector to invest in traditional medicine research and development.
The Head of the WHO Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine Unit, Dr Kim Sungchol, said the WHO recognised the growing role of traditional medicine worldwide.
He said there was also a need for evidence-based integration of traditional medicine into health systems.
Sungchol noted that Nigeria was one of the countries with a rich tradition of traditional medicine.
According to him, about 80 per cent of the population in the WHO African Region relies on traditional medicine for basic health needs.
Sungchol stressed the need for documentation to strengthen evidence and ensure safety and regulation.
He also called for training programmes for traditional medicine practitioners, particularly in infection prevention and control.
On his part, Temitayo Erogbogbo, Global Advocacy Director at Merck Sharp & Dohme for Mothers, said trust remained a critical asset within traditional healthcare networks.
Erogbogbo said traditional birth attendants, community healers and other practitioners had longstanding relationships with their communities.
He noted that these relationships could support better health outcomes when traditional practitioners were appropriately integrated into healthcare delivery.
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