This announcement is forward from WHO. Full text: https://hq_who_departmentofcommunications.cmail20.com/t/d-e-gttidkk-hldd...
'The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, themed “Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being”, will take place from 17 to 19 December 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam Convention Centre, New Delhi, India, jointly organized with the Government of India. https://tm-summit.org/
'This hybrid event will convene policymakers, scientists, practitioners, and Indigenous leaders from over 100 countries to chart a global roadmap for integrating safe, evidence-based traditional medicine (TM) into health systems. More than 800 participants are expected in person, with up to 5,000 joining online.
'A global virtual media briefing will be held on Tuesday, 9 December, highlighting progress since the first WHO Traditional Medicine Summit in 2023 and how this year’s Summit will advance the global TM agenda.'
EXTRACTS
'The Summit will showcase scientific breakthroughs, policy innovations and new tools to advance the Global traditional medicine strategy 2025–2034, adopted at the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025. The full agenda is available here. Key highlights include:
• Launch of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library – world’s largest digital repository, featuring 1.6 million scientific records to strengthen evidence and knowledge sharing on TM
• Release of the Global Research Priorities Roadmap to guide research and close evidence gaps in TM
• Announcement of 21 breakthrough Health Heritage Innovations (H2I) in TM selected from 1,100 submissions
• Commitments and pledges from governments and other partners
• Call for a Global Consortium on Health Heritage Innovation, to bridge gaps in research and development capacities, regulatory standards and mechanisms'
Why now?
• Traditional medicine - including complementary, integrative, Indigenous and ancestral practices - is a global reality. Billions of people rely on TM, often as the first, closest, or only form of care. WHO data shows 170 of 194 countries report its use; in Germany and Ghana, usage reaches 70%, and in China and India, over 90%...
• For the 4.6 billion people still lacking access to essential health services, safe and effective TM is vital for equity and universal health coverage...'
HIFA profile: Neil Pakenham-Walsh is coordinator of HIFA (Healthcare Information For All), a global health community that brings all stakeholders together around the shared goal of universal access to reliable healthcare information. HIFA has 20,000 members in 180 countries, interacting in four languages and representing all parts of the global evidence ecosystem. HIFA is administered by Global Healthcare Information Network, a UK-based nonprofit in official relations with the World Health Organization. Email: neil@hifa.org