On August 29, 2025, South Africa celebrated African Traditional Medicine Day with a national event held in Moruleng, within the Moses Kotane Local Municipality. The gathering highlighted the country’s continued efforts to incorporate traditional medicine into its overall healthcare framework. The ceremony brought together Deputy Minister of Health Dr. Joe Phaahla, the Chairperson of the Interim Traditional Medicine Practitioners Council, traditional health practitioners, and other notable attendees.

Observed each year on August 31, African Traditional Medicine Day commemorates a pivotal agreement made in 2000 by African health leaders at the 50th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. The day honors the essential contribution of traditional medicine in making health services more inclusive, cost-effective, and aligned with local cultures across the continent.

In Moruleng, the event began with a sacred purification ritual using Impepho, underscoring a deep respect for ancestral healing methods and their ongoing significance in today’s medical practices. A central part of the day’s program included a live demonstration by traditional healers who had received recent training supported by the World Health Organization. These practitioners showcased their improved ability to manage chronic conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and cancer. The demonstration was part of a broader initiative involving the training of 51 traditional and community health workers, aimed at enhancing grassroots prevention strategies and early health interventions.

During the event, a representative from the WHO highlighted nearly twenty-five years of progress since the implementation of the African Regional Strategy on Traditional Medicine. The address acknowledged South Africa’s solid policy support for traditional medicine and welcomed the introduction of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy for 2025–2034, designed to strengthen the role of traditional medicine in worldwide health initiatives.

The commemoration focused on several major goals:

• incorporating traditional medicine that is proven safe and effective into national health services;

• improving systems for regulation and patient referrals;

• protecting and valuing indigenous knowledge while promoting fair benefit-sharing; and

• encouraging collaboration between traditional and modern healthcare professionals.

With its deep roots in herbal remedies and spiritual practices, traditional African medicine continues to be a vital resource for around 80% of Africa’s population, especially in rural regions where formal medical care may be limited or unavailable.

Through this year's observance, South Africa reasserted its leading role in promoting traditional medicine not only regionally but also in global health discussions, working in partnership with organizations such as the African Union, WHO, BRICS, and the G20. The event underscored both the cultural significance and public health value of traditional healing and the importance of regulated use to enhance its role in modern primary care.