The government’s push to formalise traditional and alternative medicine services has gained strong ground in Tabora, where 1,649 practitioners have registered and secured licences exceeding the initial target of 1,000 by 60 percent.
The Registrar of Traditional and Alternative Medicine Services, Lucy Mziray, said the milestone reflects a positive response to a recent directive issued by the Minister for Health, Mohamed Mchengerwa, calling on all practitioners to register and operate within the country’s formal health system.
The registrations were completed during a mobile outreach campaign conducted across all eight districts of Tabora Region between April 8 and 28, 2026.
The exercise combined public education with on-the-spot registration, making it easier for practitioners to comply with legal requirements.
“We had planned to register 1,000 practitioners, but the number reached 1,649. This shows strong cooperation from stakeholders and growing awareness of the importance of operating legally,” Mziray said at the closing of the exercise.
She noted that Nzega District recorded the highest turnout, but participation was strong across the entire region.
The registration drive forms part of a broader national effort to bring traditional and alternative medicine into the formal healthcare framework.
Authorities say this will help improve service quality, enhance accountability, and protect the public from unsafe or unverified treatments.
Mziray said the exercise will continue in other regions from July 2026, targeting areas that are yet to be covered.
She urged practitioners who have not registered to do so, warning that enforcement measures will follow.
“We call on members of the public to seek services from registered practitioners only. These are professionals who follow ethical standards. Avoid unregistered individuals who may put your health at risk,” she said.
She added that after the Tabora exercise, authorities will begin inspections and take legal action against practitioners operating without licences, including issuing fines.
Mziray also commended President Samia Suluhu Hassan for supporting reforms in the health sector, including efforts to bring services closer to communities.
A local practitioner, Daniel Charles from Kaliua District, said the decentralised registration approach has made compliance easier, especially for those in remote areas.
“This service has reached us directly. It has reduced costs and time for practitioners who would otherwise travel long distances,” he said.
Tabora Regional Coordinator for Traditional and Alternative Medicine Services, Nyabawela Mahuyu, said the mobile registration campaign has significantly improved coverage and awareness.
She thanked the Ministry of Health and the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Council for the initiative and called for similar programmes to continue in the region to ensure all practitioners are registered and regulated.
