Mbeya Regional Commissioner-designate Jumanne Sagini has directed traditional medicine practitioners, manufacturers and sellers to register their facilities, warning that the sector’s growth must be matched by safety, quality and scientific evidence.
The directive, delivered on Monday, August 31, 2026, by Songwe District Commissioner Jafar Haniu on behalf of Mr Sagini, came as Tanzania marked African Traditional Medicine Week at Uhindini Grounds in Mbeya.
Mr Sagini said registration was essential to ensure that traditional medicine services were provided by recognised practitioners and that products reaching consumers met required safety and quality standards.
He said the government had made efforts to bring registration services closer to practitioners, resulting in more than 70,000 traditional medicine practitioners being registered since the decentralisation of registration services in 2007.
He added that 196 traditional medicine products had also been registered after undergoing assessment and laboratory testing in line with established regulations and guidelines.
The commissioner said the government was also working to integrate traditional medicine into the formal healthcare system.
“Through the integration of traditional medicine into the formal health system, the government has introduced these services at 14 regional referral hospitals, including Mbeya Regional Referral Hospital,” he said.
He said more than 2,300 patients had accessed traditional medicine services through the formal healthcare system since the programme began in 2023.
Beyond healthcare, Mr Sagini said Tanzania needed to develop traditional medicine into a commercially viable industry by strengthening the production and supply of medicinal plants.
He directed every local government authority to set aside at least 50 acres for the cultivation, conservation and sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants.
The initiative, he said, would help establish a value chain linking farmers, researchers and manufacturers while creating opportunities for employment, investment and industrial production.
“This will help create a value chain that connects farmers, researchers and industries, while opening up opportunities for employment, investment and the production of medicines that can compete in international markets,” he said.
Mr Sagini also warned against the growing use of media, billboards and social media platforms to advertise traditional medicines and related services without complying with existing regulations.
He said misleading advertisements could cause members of the public to make inappropriate healthcare decisions and expose them to health risks.
The commissioner said the government was looking beyond the health benefits of traditional medicine, describing the sector as an important link to agriculture, manufacturing, employment, trade, tourism and broader economic growth.
He called on research institutions, universities, the private sector and other stakeholders to invest more in research and innovation to transform traditional medicine knowledge into products supported by scientific evidence and capable of generating commercial value.
Mr Sagini said the government wanted Tanzania’s traditional medicine industry to expand into regional and international markets, with medicinal plants serving as industrial raw materials and practitioners gaining greater recognition within the formal system.
He urged practitioners and other players in the sector to work closely with the government, stressing that those operating unregistered facilities should take immediate steps to comply with the law.