New Delhi— The scientific validation of traditional medicine is not just important — it is essential for its global growth and integration, said Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, at a high-level side event during the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva.
Speaking at the event titled “Traditional Medicine: From Traditional Heritage to Frontier Science, for Health for All”, Kotecha emphasized the pressing need to create stronger linkages between basic sciences, conventional biomedicine, and traditional systems of healing.
Convened by the Group of Friends of Traditional Medicine in Geneva, the session marked a historic moment: the 50th anniversary of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) first Traditional Medicine Programme, and the launchpad for a new era of integrating Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) into modern healthcare systems.
“Traditional medicine must work in coherence with biomedicine to meet evolving global healthcare needs,” Kotecha said in his opening address. “Scientific validation is not just a milestone — it’s a mandate to preserve, sustain, and scale this ancient treasure.”
The event also spotlighted the draft WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, which lays out four strategic goals:
Building a strong evidence base for TCIM practices and products,
Regulating traditional medicines and practices to ensure safety and efficacy,
Integrating TCIM into mainstream health systems,
Leveraging traditional knowledge for broader health and sustainable development.
These goals are anchored in guiding principles such as health equity, Indigenous rights, sustainability, and scientific rigor.
As the only country in the world with a dedicated Ministry for Traditional Medicine, India continues to assert global leadership in this space. Kotecha outlined India’s robust regulatory and institutional framework for Ayurveda, Yoga, and other codified systems — covering everything from pharmacovigilance and public health delivery to international pharmacopoeial standards.
He also announced the upcoming launch of ‘Ayush Nivesh Sarthi’, a new initiative aimed at facilitating foreign investment and international collaborations in the Ayush sector.
Further solidifying India’s leadership, the WHO confirmed that New Delhi will host the Second Global Traditional Medicine Summit in December 2025, under the theme “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Well-being.” (Source: IANS)
