AYUSH

WHO and the Ministry of Ayush signed the

Traditional and Complementary Medicine 'Project
Collaboration Agreement'

Posted On: 18 NOV 2023 5:30PM by PIB Delhi

● First phase of the contract will prove to be a milestone in the global

development of Traditional and Complementary Medical Care System:
Secretary, Ayush.
● This agreement will mainstream Traditional and Complementary
Medicine into India's National Health System and also serve the global
health objectives: Bruce Aylward, ADG, Universal Health Coverage
and Life Course Division, WHO
● The main objective is to integrate aspects like standardization, quality,
and safety of Traditional and Complementary Medical Systems into the
National Health System and to disseminate them at the international
level.
● WHO (World Health Organization) and the Ministry of Ayush will
jointly complete the work of formulation of the Traditional Medicine
Global Strategy 2025-34.
● The Ministry of Ayush and WHO together will shoulder the
responsibility of preserving the rich heritage of Traditional and
Complementary Medicine as well as making it modern, authentic, and
global.
The Ministry of Ayush and World Health Organization (WHO) have signed Traditional and Complementary
Medicine 'Project Collaboration Agreement' late last night in Geneva. The main objective of this agreement is
to standardize Traditional and Complementary Medical Systems, integrate their quality and safety aspects into
the National Health System, and disseminate them at the international level. Through this cooperation
agreement, efforts will be made to connect Traditional and Complementary Medical Systems with the
mainstream of the National Health System. To fulfil this objective, Traditional Medicine Global Strategy
2025-34 will be prepared by WHO with the support of the Ministry of Ayush.
Other major objectives of the agreement include efforts to strengthen the system of training and practice in the
field of Complementary Medicine System 'Siddha', formulation of guidelines for the listing of Traditional and
Complementary Medicines, safety and related efforts, etc. An International Herbal Pharmacopoeia of herbs
found in South-East Asia will be developed by the Ministry in collaboration with WHO. Efforts will be made
under this agreement to integrate evidence-based Traditional and Complementary Medicines with the
National Health System, conservation and management of biodiversity and medicinal plants, etc.
Congratulating everyone on this occasion, Union Ayush Minister Shri Sarbananda Sononwal said that India
has been the center of culture of many traditional and alternative medical systems since ancient times. Such
global efforts by the Ministry to strengthen the National Health System will definitely give India a global
identity in the field of healthcare services and promote medical tourism in India. This effort of the Ministry is
one more step taken towards the global success of India.
Ayush Secretary, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, said, in his virtual message during the signing in event that the first
phase of this agreement, 2023-28, will prove to be a milestone in the global development of Traditional and
Complementary Medical System. According to Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director General, Universal Health
Coverage and Life Course Division, WHO, this collaboration agreement will bring Traditional and
Complementary Medicine Systems into the mainstream of India's National Health System and serve the
objective of global healthcare and well-being. India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Indra
Mani Pandey, who signed the agreement on the behalf of Indian government, said, “India is committed to
working with WHO to strengthen Traditional Medicine Systems globally and especially in supporting fellow
developing countries in promoting their own traditional medicine systems.”
A total of two ‘Project Collaboration Agreements’ have already been signed by the Ministry of Ayush with
WHO. The first contract was signed in 2016 to take Traditional Medical systems like Yoga, Ayurveda, Unani,
and Panchakarma to the global level and the second contract was signed in 2017 to strengthen the system of
Ayurveda, Unani and Siddha medical systems.
This agreement was signed at an event organized in Geneva city, Switzerland. Shri Indra Mani Pandey,
Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations, on behalf of the Ministry of Ayush, and Dr. Bruce
Aylward, Assistant Director General, Universal Health Coverage and Life Course Division, on behalf of
WHO.
***
SK

(Release ID: 1977854)