Press release: WHO establishes the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine

30 March, 2022

Extracts below. Read in full: https://www.who.int/news/item/25-03-2022-who-establishes-the-global-cent...

--

WHO establishes the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in India

Maximizing potential of traditional medicines through modern science and technology

25 March 2022 News release

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of India today signed an agreement to establish the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine. This global knowledge centre for traditional medicine, supported by an investment of USD 250 million from the Government of India, aims to harness the potential of traditional medicine from across the world through modern science and technology to improve the health of people and the planet.

Around 80% of the world’s population is estimated to use traditional medicine. To date, 170 of the 194 WHO Member States have reported the use of traditional medicine, and their governments have asked for WHO’s support in creating a body of reliable evidence and data on traditional medicine practices and products.

“For many millions of people around the world, traditional medicine is the first port of call to treat many diseases,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Ensuring all people have access to safe and effective treatment is an essential part of WHO’s mission, and this new center will help to harness the power of science to strengthen the evidence base for traditional medicine. I’m grateful to the Government of India for its support, and we look forward to making it a success.”...

The new WHO centre will be established in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India. While Jamnagar will serve as the hub, the new centre is being designed to engage and benefit all regions of the world.

It will concentrate on building a solid evidence base for policies and standards on traditional medicine practices and products and help countries integrate it as appropriate into their health systems and regulate its quality and safety for optimal and sustainable impact...

For more information, see: who.int/initiatives/who-global-centre-for-traditional-medicine/

--

Neil Pakenham-Walsh, Global Coordinator HIFA, www.hifa.org neil@hifa.org