Lichinga, Niassa, 30-31 Aug 2013 – The dirt road leading to the machamba in Machomane outside Lichinga city (22Km) is dry and dusty. Though the road is quiet, the machamba is very different that usually. The machamba is bustling with dancing women in colourful capulanas and men playing drums. The crowd is awaiting the arrival of the Vice-Minister for Health, Dr Nazira Vali Abdula. Among the participants is Dr Felisbela Gaspar, Director of the Institute for Traditional Medicine, in the Ministry of Health established four years ago in 2009. 

This is an important day for us, says Dr. Gaspar. We are here to celebrate the role of traditional medicine and the inauguration of 200 acres of land for the sustainable production of plants and agricultural products used by traditional practitioners. 
Traditional medicine plays a significant role in Mozambique. Around three out of four Mozambicans seek traditional medicine before institutionalised care when facing a health problem. Lichinga city alone hosts 32 medics and over 2000 traditional practitioners. 

Some people seek traditional medicine because of access, a nurse from Niassa Provincial Hospital explains. In the cities, people use traditional medicine for things such as chitega, which is a superstitious way of bringing someone bad luck. However, in the rural areas people also go to traditional practitioners for diseases such as malaria because of long distances to health facilities. 
For the next two days traditional medicine is being celebrated in Lichinga. For the past 11 years, countries in the WHO African Region have marked the African Traditional Medicine Day on 31 August by advocating for strengthening the linkage between traditional medicine and institutionalised care in line with the WHO strategy. 

The theme of this year’s Day is:  “Traditional Medicine - Research and Development”. It draws attention to the need for research and development to enhance the role of traditional medicine in health-care delivery.

Mozambique is showing commendable progress in the area of traditional medicine. Through the Institute of Traditional Medicine, Mozambique is one of the 40 countries that have developed national policies on traditional medicine in the African Region. 

Linkage and coordination between traditional practitioners and the national health care system can save lives, says WHO Representative, Dr Daniel Kertesz.Training traditional practitioners in recognising symptoms of major public health diseases and using the existing network of traditional practitioners to refer patients in need of institutionalised care is a key tool to lower the disease burdenin Mozambique. 
The Ministry of Health is currently conducting training of trainers in all provinces for traditional practitioners selected through the various associations of practitioners. The trainings cover topics such as reproductive health, HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, nutrition, and some non-communicable diseases. 

In Lichinga the celebrations continue with a feira organized to raise awareness of the on-going efforts to link traditional practitioners with the national health system including stalls with traditional medical products and consultations with traditional medical practitioners.