Global Centre for Traditional Medicine

By Granniez Green Herbs on Sat Apr 16, 2022

World Health Organisation (WHO)’s first global centre for traditional medicine (GCTM), being established in partnership with the Ministry of Ayush.
Global Centre for Traditional Medicine – Traditional medicine will receive a significant benefit as the WHO plans to establish a global centre for traditional medicine in Gujarat, India.

World Health Organisation (WHO)’s first global centre for traditional medicine (GCTM), being established in partnership with the Ministry of Ayush (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) at Jamnagar, Gujarat, will harness the potential of traditional medicine from all over the world, in any form and not just promote Indian systems of medicine, says Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ayush Ministry. The upcoming centre will focus on evidence and learning, data and analytics, sustainability and equity and innovation and technology to optimise the contribution of traditional medicine to global health and sustainable development, he adds.

The upcoming institution’s focus areas would systematically and strategically position traditional medicine globally with a sound evidence base and catalyse an operational environment for traditional medicine to embrace innovation, and excellence. India have one of the oldest and largest traditional medicine cultures in the world. Considering the background that about 80% of the world is estimated to utilise traditional medicine and that 170 out of 194 member states report use of traditional medicine, it is time that Indian traditional medicine is brought to the forefront.

The market size of Ayush products and services is estimated to be $18.1 billion in India. The country’s global market share has increased from 0.5% in 2016 to 2.8% today.

The WHO-GCTM aims to combine the use of modern technology and unique traditional medicine practices and therapy, build a solid evidence base for policies and standards on traditional medicine practices and products and help countries integrate it into their existing health systems. Considering Indian traditional medicine’s centuries of clinical experience and unique contributions as preventive, therapeutic, rehabilitative and promotive medicine, India has a big opportunity ahead to become a leading source of traditional medicine and to become the largest manufacturer of authentic traditional medicine products. India’s Ministry of Ayush is working closely with the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to collaborate in mainstreaming the use of traditional medicines and to facilitate integrated population level public health and patient level health care delivery.

In India, the market for Ayush products and services is expected to be worth $18.1 billion. The country’s global market share has risen to 2.8 percent from 0.5 percent in 2016.

The groundbreaking ceremony of GCTM is planned on April 21 in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, WHO. To coincide with the event, the Ayush ministry is also hosting a Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, from April 20-22.

On April 19, 2022, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Indian government inked an agreement to create the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine. With a USD 250 million investment from the Indian government, this worldwide knowledge hub for traditional medicine intends to harness the potential of traditional medicine from across the globe using contemporary science and technology to enhance people’s and the planet’s health.

Traditional medicine is used by an estimated 80% of the world’s population. 170 of the 194 WHO Member States have acknowledged using traditional medicine, and their governments have sought WHO for assistance in compiling a body of trustworthy evidence and statistics on traditional medicine practises and products.

The WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) is a traditional medicine knowledge centre. Evidence and learning, data and analytics, sustainability and equity, and innovation and technology are all part of WHO’s overarching traditional medicine strategy, which aims to maximise traditional medicine’s contribution to global health and sustainable development. Respect for local heritages, resources, and rights, on the other hand, is a guiding concept.

Benefits of Global Centre for Traditional Medicine :

To position AYUSH systems around the world to deliver leadership on traditional medicine-related global health issues
To ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of traditional medicine, as well as its accessibility and reasonable application.
To create norms, standards, and guidelines in key technical domains, as well as tools and processes for data collection, analytics, and effect assessment. Imagine the WHO TM Informatics Centre bringing together current TM Data banks, virtual libraries, and academic and research organisations to build a collaboration.
Develop particular capacity building and training programmes in areas relevant to the objectives, and deliver training on campus, in residential settings, or online, in collaboration with the WHO Academy and other strategic partners.

Global AYUSH Investment & Innovation Summit 2022

WHO establishes the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in India

WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine