Project Collaboration Agreement to Promote Traditional and Complementary Medicine

• 22 Nov 2023

On 17^th November, 2023, the Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization (WHO) have entered a groundbreaking 'Project Collaboration Agreement' in Geneva, aiming to integrate Traditional and Complementary Medicine into India's National Health System and advance global health objectives.

Key Points

• Milestone for Global Traditional Medicine: The Ayush Secretary anticipates the first phase of the agreement (2023-28) to be a significant milestone in the global development of Traditional and Complementary Medical Systems.
• Objectives of the Agreement: The agreement focuses on standardizing Traditional and Complementary Medical Systems, integrating quality and safety aspects into the National Health System, and disseminating them internationally.
• Preparation of Traditional Medicine Global Strategy: WHO and the Ministry of Ayush will collaboratively develop the Traditional Medicine Global Strategy 2025-34, aligning efforts to connect Traditional and Complementary Medical Systems with India's National Health System.
• Strengthening Training and Practice: The agreement aims to bolster the training and practice of the Complementary Medicine System 'Siddha' and formulate guidelines for listing Traditional and Complementary Medicines.
• International Herbal Pharmacopoeia Development: Collaboration between the Ministry and WHO will lead to the creation of an International Herbal Pharmacopoeia for herbs in South-East Asia.
• Integration of Evidence-Based Medicines: Efforts will be made to integrate evidence-based Traditional and Complementary Medicines into the National Health System, emphasizing the conservation and management of biodiversity and medicinal plants.
• Previous Collaborations: This marks the third 'Project Collaboration Agreement,' with previous contracts in 2016 and 2017 focusing on globalizing Traditional Medical systems and strengthening Ayurveda, Unani, and Siddha medical systems.