The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) on January 23, 2026, concluded a meeting to validate the “Regional Guidelines for the Regulation and Promotion of Traditional Medicine in ECOWAS Member States”, held from 21 to 23 January 2026 in Cotonou .
The meeting brought together representatives from ministries of health, universities and research institutes, traditional medicine practitioners, experts and technical partners to review and technically validate a harmonised regional framework aimed at regulating the practice and regulation of traditional medicine in West Africa.
Participants emphasised the central role of traditional medicine in healthcare provision, particularly because of its accessibility, cultural roots and the trust it enjoys within communities. They stressed the need for a framework based on safety, quality, regulation and evidence to strengthen its contribution to Universal Health Coverage, in line with the WHO Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine 2025–2034, the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the ECOWAS Regional Health Policy.
In his closing address, WAHO Director General Dr Melchior Athanase J. C. AÏSSI called for the recognition of an evolving African medicine that values indigenous knowledge, innovation and complementarity with conventional medicine. He reaffirmed the mandate entrusted to WAHO by ECOWAS to harmonise practices, strengthen regulatory frameworks and promote effective integration for the benefit of the populations.
Speaking on behalf of the Chair of ECOWAS, the representative of Sierra Leone, Dr Brima Osaio KAMARA, commended the collective efforts of Member States and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to the adoption and structured integration of Traditional Medicine into the national health system, in accordance with international best practices.
At the end of the meeting, a regional roadmap was adopted, focusing in particular on the finalisation of the policy document, the drafting of a Community Directive, its submission to the Assembly of Health Ministers (AHM) of ECOWAS for adoption, and its harmonised appropriation and implementation in Member States, supported by a monitoring and evaluation mechanism.
