WHO and the Ministry of Ayush signed the Traditional and Complementary Medicine 'Project Collaboration Agreement'

The Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organisation (WHO) have signed a 'Project Collaboration Agreement' on Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Geneva.

The primary goal of this agreement is to standardise Traditional and Complementary Medical Systems, integrate their quality and safety features into the National Health System, and distribute them on a global scale.

The goal of this collaboration is to bridge the gap between the traditional and complementary medical systems in the National Health System. To achieve this goal, WHO will develop the Traditional Medicine Global Strategy 2025-34 with the help of the Ministry of Ayush.

Other important goals of the agreement include efforts to enhance the system of training and practise in the field of Complementary Medicine System 'Siddha', the formulation of guidelines for the listing of Traditional and Complementary Medicines, safety, and associated initiatives, etc.

The Ministry will collaborate with WHO to create an International Herbal Pharmacopoeia of herbs found in South-East Asia. Efforts will be undertaken under this agreement to incorporate evidence-based Traditional and Complementary Medicines into the National Health System, as well as to conserve and maintain biodiversity and medicinal plants.

The Ministry of Ayush has already signed two 'Project Collaboration Agreements' with WHO. The first contract was signed in 2016 to bring Traditional Medical Systems such as Yoga, Ayurveda, Unani, and Panchakarma to a worldwide level, and the second contract was inked in 2017 to improve the Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha medical systems.

This agreement was signed at a ceremony in Geneva, Switzerland. Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, Ms. Indra Mani Pandey, spoke on behalf of the Ministry of Ayush, and Assistant Director General, Universal Health Coverage and Life Course Division, Dr. Bruce Aylward, spoke on behalf of WHO.

Union Ayush Minister Mr. Sarbananda Sononwal said, “India has been the centre of culture of many traditional and alternative medical systems since ancient times. Such global efforts by the Ministry to strengthen the National Health System will give India a global identity in the field of healthcare services and promote medical tourism in India. This effort of the Ministry is one more step taken towards the global success of India”.

Ms. Indra Mani Pandey said, “India is committed to working with WHO to strengthen Traditional Medicine Systems globally and especially in supporting fellow developing countries in promoting their traditional medicine systems”.

Disclaimer: This information has been collected through secondary research and IBEF is not responsible for any errors in the same.