The future of health lies in harmony, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• The WHO reports that approximately 90% of its member states acknowledge the use of traditional medicine.
• India's AYUSH sector is estimated at $43.4 billion, driven by consumer preference and a shift towards proactive healthcare models.
• The first WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine was held in Gandhinagar, Gujarat in August 2023.
• The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine will be co-hosted by WHO and the Government of India in New Delhi from December 17–19, 2025.

Detailed Insights:

• Traditional medicine is viewed as the presence of equilibrium, supporting biodiversity, nutrition, food security, and livelihoods, embodying the holistic concept of integrative health.
• The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat, serves as a knowledge hub for evidence-based collaboration and innovation in traditional medicine.
• Initiatives such as a dedicated AYUSH department at the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and the development of global standards in AYUSH Systems through ISO/TC 249/SC 2 subcommittee are paving the way for wider global acceptance of India’s traditional medicine.
• The Gujarat Declaration, adopted at the first WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, called for the protection of biodiversity, fair benefit-sharing, digital innovation, and equitable access to traditional health knowledge.
• The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine will mobilize multi-stakeholder action in support of WHO’s new 10-year Global Traditional Medicine Strategy (2025–34).

Key Concepts Involved:

• Traditional Medicine: Health practices, approaches, knowledge and beliefs incorporating plant, animal and mineral based medicines, spiritual therapies, manual techniques and exercises, applied singularly or in combination to treat, diagnose and prevent illnesses or maintain well-being.
• Integrative Health: An approach to healthcare that combines conventional medicine with complementary and alternative therapies, addressing the whole person (mind, body, and spirit).
• AYUSH: A collective term for traditional and non-conventional systems of healthcare and medicine that are practiced in India, namely Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Sowa-Rigpa.