Kenya moves to regulate traditional medicine as 80 pc rely on it for care

Audio By Vocalize

Yet most of these remedies operate outside formal regulation, with limited research funding and weak safety oversight. That gap is now at the centre of a regional policy shift.

Kenya is positioning itself as a test case for how traditional medicine can be scientifically evaluated, regulated, and safely integrated into mainstream care.

The Ministry of Health is hosting a two-day forum in Nairobi, bringing together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and regulators from across the East African Community to chart a common path for traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine.

Speaking at the forum, Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale stated that the region could no longer ignore what millions of its citizens already use daily.

“In many communities, traditional and complementary medicine remains the first point of care. No single approach can adequately respond to the complex health challenges we are facing,” he said. 

He linked the integration agenda to Universal Health Coverage and Kenya’s broader health sector reforms.

He said integration must be anchored in safety, ethics and scientific evaluation. “Integration must be guided by a robust policy and regulatory framework that protects patients,” he said.

Duale pointed to proposed legislation before Parliament aimed at strengthening quality care and patient safety across the health system.

Kenya is also aligning with the Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034, adopted by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Scientific validation is being led by the Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), which is researching plant-based treatments for conditions such as cancer and sickle cell anaemia.

Dr. Festus Tolo, Chief Research Officer at KEMRI, said safety and efficacy data remain the biggest gap.

“For us to integrate herbal and traditional medicine into the mainstream healthcare system, we need evidence. We need to show that they are safe. We need to show that they are efficacious,” he said. 

Dr. Tolo said many herbal products currently sold as supplements lack formal registration by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB). He noted inconsistencies in dosage, shelf life and formulation.

“If funding continues, we are looking at 2029 or 2030 to have fully researched products ready for integration,” he said.

While scientists push for trials and regulation, practitioners say indigenous knowledge must not be sidelined.

Dr. Lydia Kemunto Matoke, President of the Herbalist Society of Kenya, said traditional healers are ready to work with researchers and regulators. “We are encouraging traditional healers to accept working with researchers as we prepare for integration,” she said.

She raised concerns about the high cost of laboratory analysis and intellectual property protection.

“Researchers have taken products from traditional healers and they do not recognise them,” she said. “We are asking the government to respect indigenous knowledge in research.”

Dr. Matoke said some herbalists are already keeping medical records and collaborating with universities for laboratory testing.

She described the current moment as a milestone, noting that herbalists were previously marginalised or discouraged from practising openly.

From a global perspective, Dr. Tido von Schoen-Angerer, President of the Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Healthcare Coalition, said health systems must respond to what patients are already doing.

“More than half of the population in Africa uses traditional medicine every year. People are combining conventional care with herbal medicine or acupuncture. The health system needs to take this into account,” he said. 

Discussions are also focusing on harmonising standards across the East African Community, strengthening practitioner accreditation, improving pharmacovigilance for traditional medicines and promoting research collaboration.

Delegates are reviewing global and continental strategies, including the WHO framework, and exploring how regional cooperation could support shared standards and cross-border recognition.

This could shape how East Africa balances scientific scrutiny with respect for centuries-old healing practices. The outcome may determine whether traditional medicine remains informal and fragmented or becomes a regulated pillar of healthcare across the region.