Traditional Medicine in Ethiopia: Challenges and ways forward

Traditional Medicine (TM) in Ethiopia was formally recognized by Proclamation 27/1942. Ethiopia formulated a medical policy that included TM in 1993, which was reviewed and changed later in EFDA Proclamation No. 1112/2019. Several nations have made important efforts to integrate and allow the provision of safe, quality, and cost-effective,TM products and services.

The Modern pharmaceutical industry invests a significant amount of money to ensure the safety, bioavailability, toxicity and efficacy of modern medicines. However, little attention is given TM practices, manufacturing and products regulation as majority of the countries lack regulations over Herbal Medicine products and practices.

Specially in Ethiopia lack of a legally binding national pharmacopoeia (an official reference book that lists medicines, their formulations, standards, and guidelines for preparation and use) is one of the challenges with regards to traditional medicine production, registration and distribution in our country.

The most worrying trend regarding current Herbal Medicine use in Ethiopia is an Epidemics False Claims on Social Media (FB and TIKTOK) by traditional herbalists. Posting every single day on social media about their herbal medicines (which are not proved by any scientific clinical trials according to International Standard) even for serious diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, or even cancer. These Traditional Medicines (herbals) are being sold by unregistered Traditional Medicine practitioners without registration or licenses.

If unregulated a number of harmful practices can be conducted by Traditional Medicine Practioners (TMPs) and may in turn delays in visiting modern health services.

The Ministry of Health just made a major move to stop fake medical ads. Under new law (Directive No. 1134/2026), modern hospitals and clinics are now banned from using patient witness videos or success stories to advertise their services. This law should also apply to Traditional Medicine Practioners. I think Traditional healers should not allowed to advertise Scientificaly unproven herbal medicines on social medias.

Traditional Medicine Education In Ethiopia

Traditional Medicine education is given at the university level in some countries like Ghana, India, and China, with Ghana offering a four-year Bachelor of Science in Traditional Medicine. While India and China offer bachelor's, master's, and PhD degrees in Traditional Medicine.

But in Ethiopia the indigenous Traditional Medicine Education system lacks a clear National Curriculum to train Traditional Medicine Practioners(TMP) in the country. Althogh some Foreign trained Traditional Medicine Practitioners are being registered and regulated at federal government level( although some questions remains exists on quality of their training special those come from Sudan, Egypt and other african countries which are currently providing Traditional Medicine Certificate for many Ethiopians).

Policy and regulation related Challenges regarding Traditional Medicine pracitices in Ethiopia:-

Ethiopia has established TM practices and practitioner regulation since 2019, although focus is given more to registration and licensing part than enforcement part of the regulation.

Lack uniformity in applying the regulations among Regional State across the country. However,recent establishment of TM-desk within MOH that facilitate the coordination of stakeholders and communication between the federal government and regional states is an encouraging step.

Absence of TM education institutes and National Traditional Medicine Research and development centers

Lack of clearly separate policy and guidelines that regulate Traditional Medicine Manufacturing(productions)and pharmacovigilance

Lack of Scientific Clinical Trial to test Ethiopian Taditional Medicine(ETM) and Herbal Medicine on Human Beings to know its Use, safety level, efficacy, Bioavailabity, Safety, Pharmakokinetics and Toxicity.

Weak legislative enforcement due to lack of commitment by some regulatory officers at all levels

Possible Ways forwards:

Develop a National Road Map for Research and Development of Traditional Medicine Ethiopia with clear separated policy and guidelines

Separate TM research fund allocations
Developing of more Comprehensive legal framework for regulating and developing TM practices and products is needed, along with uniform practical implementation in all regional states.

Monitoring and evaluating the safety, efficacy, and quality of TM being sold in the market.

Apply new law (Directive No. 1134/2026) By The Ministry of Health to Traditional Medicine Practioners that advertise Scientificaly unproven herbal medicine on Social Media.

Providing Basic training for Traditional Medicine Pracitioners (TMPs) and continuous on-the-job regulatory staff training.

A formal Traditional Medicine curriculum and training school should be established in Ethiopia to train Undergraduate/level IV students

Strengthen collaboration between regulatory bodies (EPHI, EFDA and regional health bureaus) and research institution as well as academic organizations

Dr. Abdinasir Wako Abo; MD and Asst. Prof of Internal Medicine
Academic and Research VP, Adama Hospital Medical College

Telegram: t.me/HakimEthio

MIRGA ABBAA QABIYYUMMAA FI ITTI FAYYADAMA LAFAA ABBAA MANAA FI HAADHA MANAA

✔Abbaan manaa fi haati manaa yeroo diiggaa gaa'ilaa raawwatan qooddaan qabeenyaas itti aanee dhufa lafti immoo qabeenya hin sochoonee fi fedhiin dinagdee ol'aanaan kan irra jiru waan taheef yeroo qooddaan qabeenyaa raawwatu falmiitu ka'a falmiiwwan kunneen keessaa "ani isii duratti lafa kana qaba na wajjiin hin qooddattu\hin qooddatu,lafa Maatii kiyya irraan dhaale waan taheef kan dhuunfaa kootiiti fi yeroo gabaabaa qofa waliin jiraanne waan taheef lafa dhaaluu hin dandeessu hin danda'u" kan jedhanfalmiiwwan yeroo hedduu ka'aniidha.

👇Seeronni biroo fi Murtiileen Dhaddacha ijjiibbaataa dhimmicha ilaallatan akkuma jirutti Labsiin Lafa Baadiyyaa Oromiyaa Haarayni Labsiin lakkoofsa 248/2015 hoo Maal jedha? 👇🏻dubbisaa

✔1) Qabiyyeen lafa baadiyyaa abbaan warraa yookiin haati warraa gaa’ila keessatti mootummaa irra argatan kan waloo isaanii ta’a.

✔2) Abbaan warraa yookiin haati warraa qabiyyeen gaa’ilan dura dhuunfaatti qaban yookiin sanaan booda maatii isaanii irraa dhaalaan yookiin kennan dhuunfaatti argatan akka qabiyyee dhuunfaatti kan galmeessisan yoo ta’e kanuma dhuunfaa isaanii ta’a.

✔3) qabiyyeen gaa'ila duratti dhunfatti qaban ykn sanaan booda maatiirraa dhaalan ykn kennaan argatan akka qabiyyee dhuunfaatti yoo galmeessisan kanuma dhuunfaa taha haa tahuu malee Abbaa manaa fi haati manaa kennaan ykn dhaalmaadhaan gaa'ila duraa fi boodaas yoo argatanwaliigaltee isaanitiin qabiyyee waloo taasifachuu ni danda’u.

↪4) kanneen armaan olitti lakk 2 irratti ibsame akkuma jirutti taheedhimmoonni armaan gadii kan guutaman yoo ta’e qabiyyee waloo isaanii ta’a:
👉🏻(a) Waggaa 10 fi isaa oliif waliin misoomsuun haala ittifufiinsa qabuun kan ittifayyadaman
yoo ta’e;
👉🏻(b) Walfuutonni yeroo kana keessatti jiruuf jireenya isaanii galii laficha irraa argamuun kan
bulan yoo ta’ee; fi
👉🏻(c) Mirga daa’immaniifi dubartii seera irraa maddu kan hin sarbine yookiin kan hin
hambisne yoo ta’e.

✔5) Abbaan warraafi haati warraa qabiyyee lafa baadiyyaa bu’uura Labsii lafa baadiyyaa lakk 248/2015 kana keessatti tumameen waloon qaban akkaataa Labsii kana keessatti tumameen kennaan dabarsuu ni danda’u.

✔6) Diiggaa gaa’ilaa keessatti haati warraafi abbaan warraa qabiyyee waloo isaanii yoo qooddatan qooda qabiyyee lafa nama tokkoo midhaan nyaataaf heektaara 0.5, biqiltuu dhaabbataaf heektaara 0.25, kan lafa jallisii heektaara 0.25 fi isaa gadi yoo ta’e laficha addaan qooddachuu hin danda’an.

✔7) Akkaataa Keewwata kana Keewwata Xiqqaa 6 tiin tumameen lafichi addaan qooddachuun kan hin danda’amne yoo ta’e laficha waliin kan ittifayyadaman ta’a. Haalli raawwii isaa Dambii bahuun kan murtaa’u ta’a jechuun labsichi lafa baadiyyaa haarofni labsiin lakk 248/2015 tumee jira. Kan hafe itti dabalaa Telegramaaniis koottaa Telegram https://t.me/NuraddinFHS dubbisaa
Galatoomaa

Barreeffamni kun dhimma darbiinsa yeroo (statute of limitations) beenyaa qabiyyee lafaa ilaalchisee xiinxala seeraa gadi fageenya qabuufi murtiiwwan ijoo Mana Murtii Waliigala Federaalaa (MMWF) irratti xiyyeeffata.
​Dhimmi kun bakka gurguddoo lamatti qoodama:
​1. Qabiyyee Guutumaan Guutuutti (Dhaabbiidhaan) Faayidaa Ummataatiif Fudhatame
​Yeroo mootummaan lafa qonnaan bulaa ykn abbaa qabiyyee tokkoo faayidaa ummataatiif guutumaan guutuutti fudhatu, darbiinsi yeroo akkaataa kanaan raawwatama:
​Labsii 1161/2019: Labsiin kun waa’ee darbiinsa yeroo ifatti waan hin tuminiif, gara Seera Hariiroo Hawaasaa (SHH) dhimmoota waliigalaatti deebi’ama.
​SHH Kwt. 1845: Sababa dhimmi kun "Waliigalteen Alaa" (Torts) qofa osoo hin taane, mirga bu’uuraa Heera Mootummaa (Kwt 40(8)) waliin walqabatuuf, darbiinsi yeroo isaa waggaa 10 ta’a.
​Murtii Dirqisisaa: MMWFDI Jildii 11, Lakk. Galmee 59979 irratti dhimmi kun waggaa 2n akka hin daangeffamne murtii kenneera.
​2. Miidhaa Itti Fayyadama Lafaatiin Walqabatee Dhaqqabu (Lafni Guutummaatti Osoo Hin Fudhatamin)
​Yoo lafti sun guutumaan guutuutti abbaa qabiyyee harkaa hin baane, garuu sababa hojii mootummaa ykn ijaarsa kkf tiin faayidaa lafa sanarraa argamu irratti miidhaan gahe:
​SHH Kwt. 2143: Miidhaan waliigalteen alaa dhaqqabe jedhamee waan fudhatamuuf, darbiinsi yeroo isaa waggaa 2 qofa.
​Murtii Dirqisisaa: MMWFDI Jildii 20, Lakk. Galmee 119563 irratti dhimmi miidhaa akkasii waggaa 2n akka daangeffamu mirkaneesseera.

Uunkaa gudiina(Career structure) namoota bara 2019 gudatni

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👉Leenjii Qajeelfama Adabbii haaraa Lakk. 3/2017 ILQSO dhaan kenname. Leenjistootni Kidaanee Shifarraaw fi Aduunyaa Fullaas
Gurandh. 2018 Adaamaa