Tradition meets science: Transforming our country's national healthcare

AFRICA is accelerating efforts to integrate scientifically validated traditional medicines into its formal healthcare system to expand treatment options, reduce dependency on expensive imports, and build a more resilient medical infrastructure. Traditional herbal remedies are undergoing rigorous scientific testing and clinical trials to verify their safety, efficacy, and correct dosages. Regulators are establishing strict standardisation benchmarks for manufacturing, packaging, and shelf-life to match global pharmaceutical standards. For generations, traditional medicine has been a cornerstone of healthcare in communities across Tanzania. It is an immediate, culturally rooted, and highly accessible source of treatment for millions. However, widespread use does not automatically equal safety or efficacy. The Fifth Scientific Conference on Traditional Medicine in Mbeya—organized by the Ministry of Health through the National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR)—marked a pivotal and highly commendable shift in how the nation views indigenous remedies. The NIMR has proven its vital existence as Tanzania's largest public health research institution through concrete contributions to national health policies, disease management, and regulatory oversight. Since its operational launch in 1980, NIMR has justified its mandate through several key achievements building a sprawling national footprint with 8 specialized research centres . It has transformed raw health data into actionable government policies to combat major threats like malaria, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and non-communicable diseases NIMR has aggressively modernized Tanzania's biosecurity by deploying advanced genomic sequencing technology, allowing local scientists to rapidly track and monitor infectious disease mutations rather than relying on foreign labs The integration of traditional medicine plays a central role in validating indigenous knowledge by researching and standardizing local herbal medicines through its Traditional Medicine Production Unit in Dar es Salaam. By focusing on integrating scientifically proven traditional medicine into the formal healthcare system, Tanzania is embarking on a path that honors its cultural heritage while strictly upholding modern medical standards. The core of this initiative lies in the theme of the conference: accelerating integration through multisectoral collaboration. For too long, conventional and traditional medicine have operated in separate spheres, often viewed with mutual skepticism. Bringing together researchers, health practitioners, regulators, and stakeholders under one roof—with key leadership figures like Muhimbili Orthopaedic Institute Director General Ambassador Dr. Mpoki Ulisubisya and representatives from the Ministry of Health—signaled a serious, coordinated effort to bridge this gap. The challenges of this integration cannot be overstated. As the conference rightly highlighted, traditional use alone cannot establish whether a medicinal product is genuinely safe or effective. In the unregulated market, patients face real risks from contaminated, ineffective, or potentially toxic remedies. Therefore, the demand for rigorous scientific validation, robust quality assurance, and strict regulatory oversight is not an unnecessary bureaucratic hurdle; it is an absolute necessity to protect public health. When done correctly, the benefits of this integration will be profound. By subjecting traditional treatments to rigorous clinical evaluation, Tanzania can identify and elevate valuable indigenous remedies into mainstream healthcare. This will not only expand treatment options for patients but also provide safer, standardized, and affordable healthcare solutions, particularly in rural communities. Ultimately, this move is about building an inclusive healthcare system that leaves no stone unturned in seeking cures and managing wellness. The Ministry of Health and NIMR must ensure that the momentum generated in Mbeya translates into actionable policies and well-funded research frameworks. Tanzania has a wealthy repository of traditional knowledge; subjecting it to the unyielding standards of science is the only responsible way to unlock its true potential and safeguard the lives of citizens. Tanzania ditches old canals for climate-smart irrigation Tanzania is transforming its agricultural sector by aggressively pivoting toward high-tech, decentralised irrigation networks to mitigate climate-induced droughts. This transition targets a massive expansion of irrigated land—from under 1 million hectares in 2025 to 5 million hectares by 2030—effectively dismantling its historical overreliance on unpredictable rainfall. Global drought is becoming a critical and expanding environmental crisis, with approximately 40 percent of the world's land area currently affected by increasingly severe and frequent dry spells. Several African countries are calling for binding global action on drought, increased financing for land restoration and stronger international cooperation to help vulnerable countries respond to growing land degradation and drought risks. Tanzania has significantly updated its approach to water scarcity, combining modern localized irrigation technologies with structured policy frameworks to protect its agricultural sector from climate-driven droughts. To reduce dependency on unpredictable rain-fed agriculture, Tanzania is transitioning from traditional open canals to smart, efficient, and decentralized water systems: Social enterprises and development are rolling out solar pumps paired with drip kits. This cuts diesel costs, minimizes evaporation, and ensures precise water delivery for smallholders. Because traditional furrow irrigation uses excessive water, agricultural extensions are pushing SRI protocols in rice-heavy regions to maximize yields using alternate wetting and drying methods. In drylands like Central Tanzania, communities leverage decentralized "natural infrastructure" by tapping into sand rivers (shallow riverbed groundwater) and using roadside rainwater harvesting ponds to survive dry spells. Tanzania is also advocating for increased international financial resources and technology transfer to combat land degradation, restore rangelands, and protect vital ecosystems it is equally important that the country prioritizes climate resilience for its farming and pastoralist communities. Tanzania's stance and strategic objectives include seeking additional investments from international bodies (such as the GEF, IFAD, UNDP, FAO, and UNEP), the private sector, and innovative financing mechanisms. The funds should are intended to scale up land restoration from isolated local projects to wider national landscapes. Aligning with the 2026 International Year of Rangelands and Pastoralists, Tanzania emphasizes sustainable grazing land management. The position highlights that healthy rangelands prevent communal conflicts and cushion communities against severe droughts. The country used the Serbia global platform to share its community-led restoration experiences, such as enhanced land-use planning and scientific research spearheaded by the National Environment Management Council (NEMC). Tanzania stands firmly on treating land degradation, biodiversity loss, and climate change as interconnected challenges rather than separate issues, demanding integrated global policies Therefore to make an impact implementing a range of measures aimed at ensuring the sustainable use and restoration of its grazing lands is essential. It is the task of the government to promoting sustainable grazing practices, participatory land-use planning, rangeland restoration, improved water infrastructure, drought early-warning systems and measures to increase livestock productivity. In other words the country champions climate education, development initiatives, private investment, and public-private partnerships to scale up rangeland restoration so that every stakeholder takes responsibility for protecting the soil. The rangelands are vital for livestock production, food security, biodiversity, water resources, and rural livelihoods. With a population estimated at 61.7 million, there is growing pressure on land, water, and natural resources. The findings from the 2022/23 Agriculture Sample Census Report issued by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), estimated that Tanzania had about 8.97 million agricultural households. Of these, 60.6 percent were engaged in livestock keeping, highlighting the importance of maintaining healthy and productive grazing areas. Tanzania's rangelands were facing increasing pressure from severe droughts, land degradation and overgrazing, as well as changes in land use, water shortages, wildfires and the wider impacts of climate change. The government is responding through targeted interventions under the National Action Programme to Combat Desertification and Drought (2025–2030), which prioritises drought preparedness, early warning systems and sustainable land management.. The conference provided a platform for countries to exchange experiences and develop coordinated approaches to land degradation, drought and desertification.. COP17 conference also considered recommendations on the future strategic framework of the UNCCD beyond 2030.