By TIOL News Service

NEW DELHI, NOV 20, 2023: 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 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. 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.