Title : Codification of African Traditional Medicine
Abstract:
African Traditional Medicine (ATM) embodies centuries of therapeutic knowledge rooted in cultural identity and community health. This paper examines the codification of ATM as a pathway to integrate ancestral practices into modern healthcare systems. National regulations, such as Cameroon’s Loi n° 2024/018 du 23 décembre 2024, together with international frameworks from the World Health Organization, establish the legal and institutional basis for its recognition, safety, and intellectual property protection. Codification of ethnotherapeutic strategies is explored through the lens of healthcare ethics, emphasizing respect for cultural diversity, patient autonomy, and professional accountability. The transformation of indigenous recipes into ameliorated products is discussed in relation to quality assurance standards, ensuring efficacy and safety. Furthermore, practices such as divination, spiritualism, and herbalism are analyzed according to their principles, methods, and areas of application, with ethical codes guiding their integration into healthcare. By systematizing African Traditional Medicine, this study highlights its potential to complement biomedical approaches, foster innovation in therapeutic strategies, and preserve cultural heritage while adhering to global standards of quality and ethics.
