INTERNATIONAL W.H.O. AFRICAN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE DAY
THE COMMEMORATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO) AFRICAN TRADITIONAL MEDICINE DAY
The Commemoration of African Traditional Medicine Day will be held at Maasai Mara University on Monday, August 31, 2026, under the theme “Scaling the Heights of African Ethnomedicines through Innovation, Integration and Research.” The event recognizes the important role of traditional medicine in providing accessible, affordable and culturally rooted healthcare across Africa. It aligns with the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, emphasizing safe, effective and evidence-based ethnomedicines, integration with conventional healthcare, protection of Indigenous knowledge, and sustainable use of biodiversity.
The commemoration will be held under the title “Unlocking the Economic Potential of Cultural Heritage and Ethnomedicines in the 21st Century and the Challenges of Legal Frameworks,” with the objective of promoting research, documentation and standardization of ethnomedicines. Key areas of focus will include improving the recognition of traditional medicine practitioners, strengthening legal and regulatory frameworks, ensuring the safety and quality of traditional remedies, protecting traditional knowledge, promoting sustainable use of medicinal resources, and addressing biopiracy. Activities will include presentations, round-table discussions and exhibitions by ethnopractitioners, with the overall goal of advancing African ethnomedicine through research, innovation, integration and responsible commercialization.
Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) and Sino-Africa Joint Research Centre for the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SAJOREC-CAS), shall have independent stands to interact with staff and students of issues regarding: – MSc. and PhD Scholarships and Research Programmes at Ole Ntimama Square, the whole day. For Staff, age has been waived for SAJOREC-CAS Scholarships.