Kenya moves to regulate traditional medicine
Kenya is moving to bring traditional medicine into the formal healthcare system as the government steps up efforts to strengthen research, regulation and local production of medicines. The push was highlighted on Monday, August 31, 2026, when the country marked African Traditional Medicine Day at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI). Health Cabinet Secretary Aden […]
Kenya is taking steps to integrate traditional medicine into the formal healthcare system, with the government aiming to strengthen research, regulation, and local production of these medicines. This effort was highlighted during the celebration of African Traditional Medicine Day at the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) on August 31, 2026.
Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale and the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) emphasized the potential role of traditional remedies in healthcare if they are subjected to proper testing, quality controls, and regulation. The PPB has urged practitioners to adopt ethical practices, improve quality assurance, safety monitoring, evidence generation, accurate dosing, standardised production, and labelling.
The Ministry of Health is currently finalising a National Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine policy that aims to train, register, license, and regulate practitioners, with the goal of integrating evidence-based traditional medicine into the formal healthcare system by 2028.
Brief written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
