Many countries have invested significantly in the integration of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM) into national health systems to improve accessibility of health services and achieve universal health coverage (UHC), expand and diversify health care markets, and protect and preserve cultural heritage, biodiversity, and intellectual property.
In 2019, the World Health Organisation (WHO) published its second Global Report on Traditional and Complementary Medicine to serve as a compendium of TCIM policy, regulation, and practice with contributions from 179 member states.
In March 2022, WHO launched – with significant contribution from the Indian government – its first Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, India as a global knowledge centre with a strategic focus on evidence and learning, data and analytics, sustainability and equity, and innovation and technology to optimise the contribution of traditional medicine to global health and sustainable development.
Following GTMC’s launch and the subsequent Traditional Medicine Global Summit (TMGS) in 2023, an open policy window now exists to further support countries’ attempts to strengthen governance around traditional medicine and its integration.
WHO estimates that more than half of the global population lacks access to conventional medicine and the opportunity to avail themselves of modern healthcare services. In developing nations such as Kenya, the world health body reports that around 80 percent of individuals rely on traditional medicine (TM) for their primary healthcare needs.
A preference for natural or holistic approach, a desire for a high degree of autonomy in self-management, and a perception of absolute safety contribute to the rising use of TM products. Indeed, growing evidence continues to show the benefits of TM products in disease management in such cases as cancer, non-communicable diseases, and other serious illnesses.
The potential of TM products in managing pandemics such as severe acute respiratory syndrome, achieving UHC, and improving the overall quality of healthcare services further underpin the need for ensuring public health through a robust regulatory framework.
TM products also have important economic implications. The global market for such products is expected to reach $5 trillion (Sh645 trillion) by 2050, growing at annual rate of 7.0 percent.
The use of TM in Kenya is widespread particularly in rural areas. Studies by Good and Marshall estimate that the ratio of TM practitioners to patients in Kenya is about 1:378 in the rural areas and 1:833 in the urban areas. In contrast, the studies estimate that the overall trained medical doctor patient ratio is about 1:7,142.
The development and utility of TM remain low in the country on account of the many challenges it faces.
The main problems affecting this practice include stigmatisation due to poor perceptions and attitudes, inadequate efforts to conserve medicinal plants and indigenous knowledge, modernisation, exploitation of communities that own the knowledge, issues on safety, efficacy and quality, access, and lack of a national policy and regulatory framework.
However, a healthcare system struggling to cope with demand, high costs, and adverse effects of conventional therapy as well as increasing drug resistance, have all served to give TM a lifeline in Kenya.
Moreover, there has been a steady increase in the number of scientific work that continues to validate therapeutic claims on medicinal plants made by TM practitioners.
Keeping in step with global trends, the government has unveiled an ambitious plan to integrate traditional medicine into the mainstream healthcare system by 2028, marking a major shift in how the country approaches healthcare delivery, regulation, and cultural heritage.
The move aims to transform a long-standing informal practice into a regulated, evidence-based and collaborative health sub-sector, with practitioners working alongside conventional medical professionals within national health facilities.
The framework will be anchored on safety, scientific rigour, innovation and respect for indigenous knowledge, with strong protections for biodiversity and equitable benefit-sharing enshrined in the Constitution.
TM complements biomedicine by delivering holistic, person-centred, and culturally responsive care. It emphasises prevention and balance – body, mind, and environment – while addressing lifestyle and psychosocial factors often overlooked in conventional treatment.
Therapies like acupuncture, herbal medicine, and yoga are increasingly used alongside biomedical interventions to ease pain, reduce side effects, and improve quality of life for chronic conditions.
Additionally, TM offers trusted, accessible care where biomedical services are limited. Integrating safe, evidence-informed traditional medicine into health systems will expand primary health care and strengthen equity, while collaboration between biomedical professionals and TM practitioners builds trust and coordinated care.
Scientific study of traditional medicine can also unlock new therapeutic insights, creating synergy that improves outcomes and delivers truly comprehensive healthcare. Importantly, TM is often deeply embedded in the cultural practices and beliefs of Kenyan communities.
It reflects a rich history of knowledge passed down through generations, often in oral or experiential forms. This can foster a strong sense of identity and continuity in communities.