Speaking at an event to mark the 2025 African Traditional Medicine Day in Abuja, Minister of State for Health, Dr. Adekunle Salako, stressed the importance of research and clinical studies to verify the safety, quality, and effectiveness of traditional therapies.
He noted that integrating traditional medicine into the national health system requires evidence-based practices. “Evidence is the bridge between belief and policy. It is what will allow traditional medicines to move from the periphery to the mainstream of healthcare delivery, not just in Nigeria but across Africa,” Salako said.
The minister explained that documenting and standardising indigenous practices would help ensure their credibility, adding that Nigerians have relied on herbal remedies and indigenous knowledge long before the advent of modern medicine.
According to him, the ultimate goal is to achieve full integration of validated traditional medicine into healthcare delivery, strengthening the system and making it more inclusive.
