India contributes US$85 million to the World Health Organization's Global Center for Traditional Medicine

Around the world, traditional medicine is used by billions of people for their health and well-being. At the signing ceremony in Geneva, the Government of India committed US$85 million over 10 years, 2022-2032, to support the programming of the World Health Organization's Global Center for Traditional Medicine. India's 10-year financial contribution will support a cross-sectoral program of work to strengthen the evidence base for traditional medicine by providing data and evidence on policies, practices, products and public use of traditional medicine.

The WHO-India donor agreement is part of India's US$250 million investment to support the establishment of the WHO Global Center for Traditional Medicine in 2022, which includes financial support for the Centre's work plan, temporary premises and a new building. This support will increase WHO's capacity in traditional medicine in technical departments and regions in a spirit of global cooperation and solidarity. A portion of this significant contribution from the Government of India will also be included in the WHO Investment Round to fund WHO's core work during 2025-2028.

Photo: WHO/Lindsay Mackenzie

“India's commitment and leadership in expanding the evidence-based contribution of traditional medicine to the health and well-being of all people and the planet comes at an opportune time,” said Dr. Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General of WHO's Universal Health Insurance and Lifecourse Division. . “Traditional medicine, supported within national health systems, can enable us to reach those who are most often neglected. Integrating traditional practice and knowledge is key to achieving health for all.”

“The signing of this donor agreement is a major milestone towards achieving the shared vision of the Honorable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and WHO Director-General Tedros for the development of the WHO World Center for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar, India,” said the Deputy Minister. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India.

“India remains committed to supporting WHO in its work to strengthen traditional medicine systems globally to achieve universal health coverage and serve all humanity, particularly through this Global Center in Jamnagar, which would help channel these efforts for the benefit of all countries member,” said Ambassador Arindam Bagchi, India's Permanent Representative to the UN and other international organizations in Geneva.

World Health Organization Global Center for Traditional Medicine is a center of knowledge focused on five interrelated areas of work: research and evidence; primary health care and general health coverage; Indigenous knowledge and biodiversity; digital health applications; and the biennial World Summit on Traditional Medicine WHO and collaboration. The Center is headed by Dr. Shyam Kuruvilla, Acting Director

The first global summit of traditional medicine of the World Health Organization was held in August 2023 in Gujarat resulting in a multi-stakeholder action plan, Gujarat Declaration. The next WHO Global Summit is planned for November 2025, following the expected launch of the Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine 2025-2034 at the 78th.^th World Health Assembly in May 2025.

India's support for traditional medicine is expressed through a series of long-standing partnerships with the WHO. In 2023, India signed a five-year agreement to support WHO's technical work Department of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCI).. The Unit supports the development of the new World Health Organization Global Traditional Medicine Strategy (2025 – 2034) requested by Member States and publishes key reference documents, standardized terminology and other evidence-based technical products to support the safe and effective integration of traditional medicine into national health systems. systems.

The Center and TCI work closely with teams across the WHO to advance the WHO's multisectoral agenda on traditional medicine, including regular meetings of the WHO Technical Expert Network, coordinated by the WHO Global Center for Traditional Medicine and the TCI, to promote a One World health organizations to traditional medicine through headquarters, regional and state offices.