Traditional medicine: Côte d’Ivoire seeks to bring ancestral knowledge closer to science

Côte d’Ivoire’s Ministry of Health aims to strengthen scientific research and oversight of traditional medicine, the focus of the 24th African Traditional Medicine Day held on October 28, 2026, at the INSP in Abidjan-Plateau. Organized by the National Programme for the Promotion of Traditional Medicine, the event brought together practitioners, academics, researchers, and health-sector stakeholders to discuss the value of Africa’s therapeutic heritage. Mamadou Ouattara, president of ONPMT-CI, urged practitioners to connect ancestral knowledge with scientific evidence and noted that, according to the WHO, 80% of sub-Saharan Africa’s population turns to traditional medicine first. He said integrating it into the health system requires greater rigor and collaboration to develop safe, scientifically validated medicines.