Plans are underway to restructure the sector of the traditional medicine in order to enable its actors operate within a legal framework, the Minister of Public Health, Dr Malachie Manaouda has revealed.

The Minister was speaking on Monday, August 31 while receiving a group of traditipractitioners as Cameroon joined the rest of the world to celebrate the African Day of the traditional medicine.

Celebrated within a context marked by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Minister of Public Health acknowledged the contribution of traditional medicine which he said has played a part in Cameroon’s fight against the pandemic. He cited the treatment protocol proposed by the Archbishop of Douala, Mgr Samuel Kleda which was put into proper use.

He however said the sector can only thrive if it is well structured which is a process which the government has currently undertaken.

“Very delighted to continue with the structuring of traditional medicine sector in Cameroon. Together we will succeed in finding endogenous solutions to our well-being and health problems, in accordance with the very high instructions of the Head of State,” the Minister of Public Health said.

As part of the measures to restructure the sector, he said the Ministry of Public Health is working in line with their counterpart of the Scientific Research and Innovation to come out with a draft law for the sector which will be submitted in parliament by government.

He also proposed to the tradipractitioners to start by better organizing themselves and coming up with a repertoire of their members and representatives in order to facilitate dialogue with the government.

On their part, the tradipractitioners welcomed the proposals by the Minister of Public Health and  said they have already though of setting up their structure and elect their executive bureau to represent them. According to them, 70 percent of the population depend on traditional medicine, thus they have to be given due consideration.