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WHO, AYUSH Ministry Hold Technical Meeting To Integrate Traditional Medicine Into Global Health Standards

The WHO and India's AYUSH Ministry just held a major meeting to create global codes for traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda. This move aims to give practices like Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani international scientific credibility and standardize how their treatments are documented worldwide. Prime Minister Modi has championed this push, seeing it as a way to share India's traditional healthcare with a global audience in a reliable way. Once these standard codes are in place,

Key Points: WHO-AYUSH Meet Aims To Integrate Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani Into Global Health Codes

  • WHO and AYUSH Ministry hold technical meeting in Delhi to develop global codes for traditional medicine
  • India provides financial and technical support to integrate Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani systems
  • Meeting aligns with PM Modi's vision for global scientific recognition of AYUSH
  • Standardised codes aim to document and analyse effectiveness of traditional treatments globally
  • Representatives from all six WHO regions and multiple member states participated in discussions
  • Initiative seeks to place India's traditional healthcare systems on the international health map
3 min read

WHO, AYUSH Ministry hold key technical meeting to integrate traditional medicine into global health standards

WHO and India's AYUSH Ministry hold key technical meeting in Delhi to develop a dedicated Traditional Medicine module within global health intervention classifications.

"The development of a dedicated ICHI module would help AYUSH systems gain international recognition and scientific credibility. - Prime Minister Narendra Modi / Mann Ki Baat Address"

New Delhi, December 22

The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of AYUSH in a major push to bring traditional Indian healthcare systems to the global stage, organised a two-day Technical Project Meeting on Traditional Medicine (TM) intervention code set development in the national capital, aimed at developing a dedicated Traditional Medicine module within the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI).

The agreement lays the foundation for integrating Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani (ASU) systems into global healthcare standards, with India providing both financial and technical support.

The release stated that the meeting aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of consistently emphasising such initiatives, enabling AYUSH systems to reach a wider global audience in a scientific and standardised manner.

In his recent Mann Ki Baat address, the Prime Minister noted that the development of a dedicated ICHI module would help AYUSH systems gain international recognition and scientific credibility.

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of AYUSH, highlighted that the module would facilitate global recognition and strengthen WHO's efforts toward inclusive, evidence-based, and safe healthcare, the release added.

The technical sessions were chaired by Kavita Garg, Joint Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, who led the Indian delegation in developing National Health Intervention Codes for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani medicine.

Distinguished experts such as Prof Rabinarayan Acharya (Director General, CCRAS), Prof. NJ Muthukumar (Director General, CCRS), and Dr Zaheer Ahmad (Director General, CCRUM) contributed to the discussions.

The meeting saw participation from representatives of all six WHO regions - AFRO, AMRO, EMRO, EURO, SEARO, and WPRO - ensuring a global perspective.

Key officials from WHO Headquarters in Geneva, including Robert Jakob, Nenad Kostanjsek, Stephane Espinosa, and Dr. Pradeep Dua, led the classification discussions.

Indian representatives included Dr. Geetha Krishnan from the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC), Jamnagar, and Dr. Pawan Kumar Godatwar from WHO SEARO in Delhi.

Member states such as Bhutan, Brazil, Iran, Malaysia, Nepal, Mauritius, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, the UK, and the USA participated to align their national practices and harmonise intervention descriptions.

The release emphasised that integrating traditional medicine into ICHI is crucial, as it provides a common language for health interventions across countries and medical systems. Standardised codes will help healthcare providers document, report, and analyse the use and effectiveness of traditional treatments more effectively.

The WHO-led project will follow strict timelines and a scientific approach, enabling clinical research, policy support, and the expansion of traditional medicine within national health information systems globally.

This development marks a significant step in placing India's AYUSH systems on the international health map, promoting their recognition and adoption in global healthcare frameworks.

- ANI

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Reader Comments

R
Rajesh Q
Good initiative, but the real test will be implementation. We need to ensure the quality of AYUSH practitioners and medicines on the ground matches these international codes. Hope this leads to better regulation and not just paperwork.
A
Arjun K
My grandmother's home remedies always worked better than pills for small ailments. Glad to see a scientific framework being built around this ancient wisdom. Jai AYUSH!
S
Sarah B
As someone living abroad, I'm thrilled. It's so hard to explain Ayurvedic treatments to doctors here. Having a global classification system will make integrative healthcare a real possibility. Well done to all involved.
V
Vikram M
Important step, but let's not forget Siddha and Unani systems mentioned in the article. Tamil Nadu and other regions have preserved this knowledge for generations. Hope the integration is truly inclusive of all Indian traditions.
K
Karthik V
Seeing countries like the UK and USA participating is key. This isn't just about India exporting its systems, but about creating a global dialogue on holistic health. The future of medicine is integrative.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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