Up to seven in every 10 Tanzanians turn to traditional medicine before seeking treatment at formal health facilities, underscoring the need to strengthen research, regulation and integration of traditional healthcare into the national health system.
The Government says between 60 and 70 per cent of Tanzanians begin their search for treatment through traditional medicine, making the sector an important component of healthcare that cannot be overlooked.
The disclosure was made by the Director General of the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Professor Said Aboud, during the Fifth Traditional Medicine Science Conference held in Mbeya.
Professor Aboud said the widespread use of traditional medicine called for stronger scientific research to establish the safety, quality and effectiveness of medicines derived from traditional practices.
He said the Government had responded to the need by establishing and investing in the Mabibo Traditional Medicine Research Centre, which is expected to provide a stronger scientific foundation for research and development of traditional medicines.
“Traditional medicine has a significant role in our healthcare system, given the number of people who rely on it. However, its development must be supported by scientific research, quality assurance and proper regulation,” Professor Aboud said.
He said efforts to develop the sector must also include conservation of the environment, warning that the destruction of natural vegetation could threaten the availability of medicinal plants used as raw materials.
According to Professor Aboud, protecting biodiversity is therefore not only an environmental issue but also critical to safeguarding traditional medical knowledge and ensuring that medicinal plants remain available for future generations.
Beyond healthcare, he said, traditional medicine presented an opportunity to support Tanzania’s industrialisation agenda by encouraging research, processing and local production of medicines from raw materials available in the country.
“This can enable us to add value to our natural resources, create industries and reduce dependence on imported pharmaceutical products,” he said.
Professor Aboud said NIMR was working with other research institutions to ensure that traditional medicines entering the market were safe, met required quality standards and had scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness.
He said NIMR had so far facilitated the registration of 45 traditional medicines, which had subsequently been incorporated into the integrated healthcare system and were being used at 14 regional referral hospitals.
The development comes as the Government seeks to bridge traditional knowledge and modern scientific approaches while ensuring that patients are protected from ineffective or unsafe products.
Representing the Ministry of Health’s Deputy Permanent Secretary responsible for medicines and medical devices, Dr Mpoki Ulisubisya said traditional medicine was deeply rooted in Tanzania’s cultural heritage but needed to be subjected to rigorous scientific research.
He said some modern medicines had their origins in traditional knowledge and plant-based remedies, citing medicines used in the treatment of malaria as an example.
Dr Ulisubisya said closer collaboration among scientists, researchers and traditional medicine practitioners was necessary to transform indigenous knowledge passed from one generation to another into safe, standardised and scientifically validated products.
He described the Mabibo Traditional Medicine Research Centre as an important step towards linking traditional knowledge with modern science, environmental conservation and industrial development.
Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Council, Professor Joseph Otieno, said the Government had registered 200 traditional medicines, with more than 40 authorised for use under the integrated healthcare system.
Professor Otieno, however, stressed that registration should not be regarded as the final stage in ensuring the safety and effectiveness of traditional medicines.
He said the Government would continue monitoring registered products to ensure they maintained the required standards of quality, safety and efficacy.
Experts said a properly regulated and scientifically supported traditional medicine sector could contribute to Tanzania’s health and economic development by promoting biodiversity conservation, creating employment, adding value to locally available resources and supporting the growth of domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing.
They cautioned, however, that the expansion of the sector must be accompanied by sustainable harvesting and continued research to prevent overexploitation of medicinal plants and environmental degradation.
The push to strengthen traditional medicine therefore presents Tanzania with a dual opportunity: preserving an important body of indigenous knowledge while developing safe, evidence-based products that can contribute to both public health and the country’s industrial development.