A Donor Agreement between the Ayush Ministry and The World Health Organization has been signed to support the operations of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
- Donation: As per the agreement, the Indian government will donate USD 85 million over a period of 10 years (2022-2032) to the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC).
- The donor agreement was signed during a ceremony organized at WHO Headquarters in Geneva.
- The agreement outlines the financial terms for implementing the activities of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in Jamnagar, Gujarat
- The agreement recognizes the establishment of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre as a key knowledge hub for evidence-based Traditional Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) which aims to advance the health and well-being of people and the planet.
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About The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC)
- The GTMC is a knowledge centre for traditional medicine.
- Establishment: The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre was established in Jamnagar, Gujarat in 2023 through a Host Country Agreement signed between the Ministry of Ayush, the Government of India and WHO
- The First global summit on Traditional Medicine was organised by the WHO and Ministry of Ayush in Jamnagar , Gujarat in August 2023.
- GTMC is the first and only global out-posted Centre for traditional medicine across the globe
- Focus: GTCM will strategically focus on 5 areas of works to maximise the contribution of traditional medicine to global health and sustainable development.
- Evidence and Learning: The GTMC is mapping traditional medicine evidence and use with the help of AI and developing educational resources,for traditional medicine awareness in health systems and capacity building of the traditional medicine workforce.
- Data and Analytics: It is strengthening data and analytics through traditional medicine surveys that include indicators related to WHO’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW 13) and the Sustainable Development Goals, traditional medicine policy and practice, as well as inclusion of traditional medicines in World Health Survey+.
- Sustainability and Equity: It is working on country profiles of sociocultural and biodiversity heritages for sustainable development, equity and rights.
- Innovation and Technology: In collaboration with the WHO Innovation Hub The GTCM is focusing on the identification and scaling up of innovations as game changers.
- Training programs: The capacity building programs will include campus-based, residential or web-based training in partnership with the WHO Academy and other strategic partners.
- Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine in the WHO regions:
- African Region: African Traditional Medicine
- American Region: Osteopathy, chiropractic
- Eastern Mediterranean Region: Traditional Arab and Islamic medicine, including Unani
- European Region: Naturopathy, homeopathy
- South East Asian Region: Ayurveda, yoga, unani, nuad Thai
- Western Pacific Region: Traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture, tuina
Other Areas of Collaboration between The Ministry of Ayush and WHO
- The development of benchmark documents for training and practice in Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha systems (AYUSH) and creation of WHO terminology for these practices
- The introduction of a second module in the Traditional Medicine Chapter of the International Classification of Diseases-11
- The development of apps like M-Yoga and support for the International Pharmacopoeia of Herbal Medicine (IPHM)
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About Traditional Medicine
- Traditional Medicine can be defined as the entirety of the knowledge, skill, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicit or not, which is used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness.
Traditional Medicine systems in India
- Ayurveda: It is an ancient Indian system of medicine that focuses on balancing the body’s energies (doshas) to promote health and prevent diseases. It includes herbal medicines, diet, lifestyle modifications, and therapies like massage and Panchakarma.
- Yoga: Yoga is a holistic practice that originated in ancient India and includes physical postures, breathing exercises, meditation, and ethical principles. It is not only a physical exercise but also a mental and spiritual practice to enhance overall well-being.
- Siddha: The Siddha system of medicine is practiced predominantly in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. It is an ancient medical system that originated in Tamil Nadu and is based on the concept of maintaining a balance between the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether) in the body.
- Sowa-Rigpa (Tibetan Medicine): Sowa-Rigpa is a traditional medical system practiced mainly in the Himalayan regions such as Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Darjeeling, Lahaul & Spiti, and Leh-Ladakh. It is influenced by both Ayurveda and traditional Tibetan medicine.
- Homoeopathy: While not originally part of Indian tradition, homoeopathy has become an integral part of India’s traditional medicine practices over the years. Homoeopathy is based on the principle of “like cures like” and uses highly diluted substances to stimulate the body’s healing response.
Government Measures
- Ministry of AYUSH: The Ministry of AYUSH was established in 2014 with a vision of reviving the profound knowledge of our ancient systems of medicine.
- National AYUSH Mission (NAM): The government of India is implementing the Centrally Sponsored Scheme of NAM in the country through State and UTs for the promotion and development of AYUSH systems.
- Grant-in-aid is being provided to State Governments for the development and promotion of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy.
- NAM also supports cultivation of medical plants, production of quality and standardized ingredients for supply of AYUSH, integration of medicinal plants in farming systems, and increasing export of value-added items of medicinal plants.
- AYUSH Gram: Under the concept of AYUSH Gram, AYUSH-based lifestyles are promoted through behavioural change communication, training of village health workers towards identification and use of local medicinal herbs, and provision of AYUSH health services.
- Global partnerships: India has signed MOUs with 23 countries for cooperation in the field of Traditional Medicine and Homoeopathy in areas such as research, education, training, and more.
- 33 AYUSH Information Cells have been set up in 31 countries to disseminate authentic information about AYUSH systems.
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August 5, 2024
