Speaking at the celebration, Yankuba Colley, the Lord Mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) said that time and science have proven that traditional medicine remains a vital component in the treatment of ailments of all sorts in every part of the world. He added that although they live in a modernalised and scientific world, case studies have established the vital role of traditional medicine in their society beyond reasonable doubt. "If the theory that modern medicine is produced out of herbs and similar elements is anything to go by, I see no reason why we must doubt the effectiveness and value of traditional medicine", he noted.

Mayor Colley revealed that a clear case in the local context is the success of the treatment programme by His Excellency the president Sheikh Professor  Alhaji Dr. Yahya AJJ Jammeh with the use of traditional medicines and methods. According to him, the success of his traditional medicines were established in western medical laboratories, yet with much ambiguity, elements who assume that African knowledge is inferior to western education are reluctant to accept the truth whilst the same applies to the successes registered by various traditional healers across Africa and some parts of Asia.

He stated that traditional medicine is our culture and the role it plays in our health care and communities cannot be over emphasised. This he added, the government has not lost sight of their effort in the maintenance of their communities’ health and that is why President Jammeh has established a Presidential Medical Team. "You can all attest to his ability in treating a host of diseases affecting people attending his treatment session", he remarked. He urged the traditional healers to work harder to improve their practice and never hesitate to work together as one body and as well collaborate with the medical teams to make The Gambia a safer place to live. Colley urged the healers to join the KMC in the preservation of their flora and fauna, adding that there is no traditional medicine without the forest.

He expressed sincere gratitude to The Gambian government and the WHO for their support to the health sector and the promotion of traditional medicine.  Dr. Adama Demba, the deputy director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said that the day is an auspicious one in the annals of their medical calendar. "It is the day set aside by WHO and African governments for the commemoration of African Traditional Medicine," she remarked. She disclosed that the idea of setting aside a decade for the promotion of traditional medicine on the African Continent was initiated by The Gambia’s own, Alhaji Dr. Malick Samba who was the then WHO Regional Director for Africa. 

She said that the M7inistry of Health and Social Welfare is always ready to cooperate with any institution to promote traditional medicine so as to make meaningful impact on the lives of the Gambian people and any resident in the country. She thanked their partners in the health sector especially the WHO for their unflinching support to the promotion of traditional medicine. She also thanked the Lord Mayor for accommodating this function in the premises of his Municipality.

Salieu Puye, vice president of Traditional Healers Association (TRAHASS) said that this event is another commemoration of Africa Traditional Medicine Day, the 8th edition since the commemoration began in the country. He added that the commemoration is very significant hence it marks the end of the decade specially dedicated to the promotion the advancement of traditional medicine. 

Puye urged all the entire membership of TRAHASS to work steadfastly to maintain the good reputation of the organisation under the leadership of Alhaji Amadou Njie. He thanked WHO through Dr. Sukwa for supporting all their programmes.  At the end of the ceremony, the Director of Health Services Dr. Adama Demba launched the exhibition of traditional medicines.