PROMETRA International organized the revival of the Xooy ritual of the Saltigué at the Experimental Center for African Medicines and Traditions (CEMETRA), also known as the Malango Center, in Fatick. This annual cultural ceremony serves as a major event that brings together cultural, spiritual, and religious leaders from across Senegal to unite their efforts, energies, and knowledge to pray for peace and foster sustainable development in the country.

Deeply rooted in the Serer culture, the Xooy ritual is a traditional public divination ceremony led by the great masters of the Sine region, the Saltigué. After several years of interruption, this year’s edition marks a symbolic relaunch of PROMETRA’s activities, in synergy with REJOMETRA – the Journalists’ Network for the Promotion of Traditional Medicines – aimed at strengthening media professionals’ capacity to promote and disseminate traditional knowledge and bridge the gap between traditional health systems and modern media communication.

A Space for Dialogue Between Tradition, Culture, and Public Health

Thanks to the support of PROMETRA International, traditional healers in Fatick have been organized into associations, structured around the CEMETRA center in Malango.

As part of the Xooy, REJOMETRA annually organizes a thematic panel to foster dialogue between traditional healers and media professionals. The goal is to promote traditional African medicine as a viable and locally relevant response to healthcare needs while improving how it is understood and covered by the media. This year’s panel also aimed to support the organizational strengthening of traditional healers and advocate for safe, accessible, and credible traditional health practices.

2025 Panel Theme: Media’s Role in African-Led Development

The theme of the 2025 panel was: « We do not develop, we self-develop. We must find local solutions to local problems in Africa: The role and perception of the media. »

The panel gathered university professors from Senegal, Africa, and the United States, along with researchers, policymakers, spiritual leaders, and cultural actors from across Senegal. Rich and diverse discussions led to a comprehensive set of conclusions compiled into a final document titled “The Malango Declaration.”

Key Recommendations of the Malango Declaration

The panel participants issued the following key recommendations:

Establish a legal and structured framework for the practice of African traditional medicines in Senegal, including implementation decrees.

Within the Ministry of Health, create two parallel departments – one for traditional medicine and another for conventional medicine – granting Senegalese citizens and residents the freedom to choose their health system.

Encourage collaborative research between both medical systems to foster innovative, effective solutions for healthcare and well-being.

Provide annual support to structured and credible traditional and cultural institutions with proven public health impact.

Support REJOMETRA’s training programs to improve media coverage and public understanding of traditional medicine and cultural heritage.

Recognizing that 80% of the population in Sub-Saharan Africa consult traditional healers not only for medical treatment but also for health education, participants urged that these healers be formally trained and integrated as IEC agents (Information-Education-Communication).

PROMETRA, which has developed self-training manuals for traditional healers (FAPEG method), should organize regular workshops to enhance their communication and health promotion capacities.

Introduce basic health and nutrition modules in primary schools, starting at age 10, to address malnutrition and other local health challenges.

Include intellectual property training in universities, to protect and develop community-based medical innovations.

Establish a pharmaceutical industry focused on incurable diseases and based on patented traditional remedies, allowing Senegal to play a global role in addressing major health challenges.

Acknowledgements

Participants expressed their gratitude and recognition:

To PROMETRA International, for its tireless five-decade-long commitment to promoting African medicines and traditions worldwide.

To REJOMETRA, for its valuable efforts in media advocacy for traditional medicine in Africa.

To all panel participants, for their high-quality contributions and meaningful exchanges.

To the organizing team, for the excellent coordination that ensured the success of the event.

Babacar sene Journal Agropasteur