Uganda to celebrate the African Traditional Medicine Day in style

24 September 2024, 10:25 am

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The world Health Organisation (WHO) member states are tasked to abide by the rules and regulations governing the organisation. It is against this background that Uganda will commemorate the African Tradition Medicine Day on October 10, 2024. This day is typically celebrated every year on August 31 across the WHO African Region. It is celebrated in recognition of the enduring significance of African Traditional medicine and its integral role in enhancing health and well-being across the African continent. This commemoration has been observed for twenty years.

Speaking to journalists at the Uganda Media Centre yesterday,Dr. Grace Nambatya, Director of Research at Natural Chemotherapeutic Institute in Kampala, said that traditional medicine goes beyond herbal remedies. “We have practitioners who may work in the shrine, but at the end of the day, they can advise you to use a certain plant, and it works for you. This touches almost all Ugandans whether they love medicine or not,” she said.

She added that celebrations for this day began in August with the graduation of herbalists. “Traditionally, we normally celebrate this day on 31, August but we delayed it a bit to October 10 ,2024, to make it more inclusive. We plan to culminate the celebration with a conference where researchers will present their findings. Regulators will also share information on what is expected when making herbal products, whether to approach the National Drug Authority (NDA) or Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS). Afterwards, a comprehensive report will be submitted to WHO to reflect Uganda’s stance on traditional medicine.” she confirmed.

At the same press conference, former Deputy Chief Justice of Uganda, Dr. Steven Kavuma, emphasised the need for involvement from the Ugandan government, parliament, and the general public. “The public is a crucial stakeholder in this process,” Kavuma stated. “There is a need to sensitise not only the officials working in this area but also the entire population.”

Nkangabwa James, a member of the advisory board of CETA, expressed his organisation’s satisfaction in partnering with the Natural Chemotherapeutics Research Institute (NCRI) to organise and lead the commemoration. “As CETA, we support research and work with traditional healers to enhance collaboration between traditional and modern health practitioners. This collaboration has been neglected in the past, but we are happy that the government is now supporting us,” he said.

The celebrations will be held under the theme: “Support the Provision of Quality and Safe Traditional Medicine through Appropriate Mechanisms.” Dr. David Dan Mayanja, the head of the organising committee, encouraged everyone to attend.