The Appointment of a Nigerian, Prof Martins Emeje as Co-Chair of the World Health Organisation’s Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (STAG TM) has been described as a significant milestone for Nigeria’s contribution to global health governance in traditional Medicine
Professor Martins Emeje, who is currently the Director General of the Nigeria Natural Medicine Development Agency (NNMDA), was appointed alongside Dr Susan Wieland, Director at Cochrane Complementary Medicine, United States of America, following a rigorous global selection process.
The World Health Organisation recently constituted STAG TM is a 19-member expert body to guide the implementation of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025 to 2034.
The advisory group is tasked with providing independent scientific and technical guidance to the WHO on research priorities, evidence generation, policy development, norms, and standards for the safe and effective integration of traditional medicine into national health systems, an area of healthcare that continues to gain global relevance.
Professor Martins Emeje’s appointment as Co-Chair of the WHO advisory group is a strong affirmation of his years of dedicated service to evidence-based traditional medicine.
This recognition according to some health experts also places Nigeria in a respected position within global health leadership, a field that directly affects millions worldwide and underscores the importance of aligning indigenous knowledge with scientific rigour to strengthen healthcare delivery.
This development also reaffirms WHO support for initiatives that amplify Nigeria’s voice on global platforms while promoting credible, community-focused health solutions.
(Editor: Ken Eseni)
