World Health Assembly adopts revised health regulations

The 2003 observance encouraged policy discussions on how traditional and conventional care could relate.

Publication date: regional director Ebrahim Samba called on Western-trained health workers to respect African traditional medicine.

Publication date: WHO Africa asked conventionally trained clinicians to engage with traditional practitioners.

The 2004 WHO message addressed tensions between institutional medicine and inherited health practices.

Publication date: the regional message recognized traditional practitioners’ role in communities while calling for collaboration.

The regulations require countries to detect and notify events with possible international consequences.

The 2005 adoption aimed to improve coordinated responses while respecting human rights.

These regulations were adopted in May 2005 and entered into force in June 2007.

On African Traditional Medicine Day, regional director Luis Sambo urged a stronger role for traditional health practitioners in preventing HIV.

The WHO regional message treated trusted community practitioners as possible partners in prevention communication.