22nd African Day of Traditional Medicine

31 August 2024, La Maison de l’Artemisia is calling for more scientific and galenic studies to ensure that the right dosage is used for the right population.

Africa Traditional Medicine Day is an opportunity to raise public awareness of the importance of this ancestral practice, to highlight the expertise of traditional practitioners, to promote its integration into the national health system and to remind people of the link between human health and the environment.

According to the WHO, complementary and integrative traditional medicine is fundamental to the prevention and treatment of many diseases. On this day, the Maison de l’Artemisia is calling for studies to be carried out to disseminate and guarantee appropriate dosage. Traditional medicine is THE 1st line of treatment for more than 80% of people on Earth.The global challenge is therefore considerable.

To mark the occasion, many Artemisia Houses, notably in Chad, Mali, Burundi and the DRC, took action to raise awareness of Artemisia annua and afra, in order to combat malaria and other diseases with a One Health approach (human, animal and environmental health). The Houses of Artemisia have set up awareness-raising stands, like those of Gniinkenkiro and Kalana in Mali, for example, who took advantage of the traditional medicine fair, which lasted 3 days from 29 to 31 August, to have a joint stand. Others raised awareness at official events.

Far from being a thing of the past, traditional medicine is now a real prospect for the future. Produced locally, it is also a resilient medicine that is affordable for the poorest people.