The global health community convened in New Delhi for the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Second Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, an pivotal gathering co-organized with the Government of India. The event, drawing together government ministers, eminent scientists, revered Indigenous leaders, and seasoned practitioners from over 100 nations, commenced with a unified objective: to catalyze significant scientific undertakings and forge new commitments designed to accelerate the implementation of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy for the period 2025–2034. This ambitious strategy pivots around five core tenets: bolstering the evidence base, enhancing regulatory frameworks, fostering systemic integration into national health services, cultivating robust collaboration, and ensuring meaningful community engagement.
Traditional medicine (TM) represents a vast and intricate tapestry of health practices, knowledge, and beliefs that have been passed down through generations within diverse cultures. These systems, encompassing both codified traditions like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, as well as non-codified indigenous healing practices, predate conventional biomedicine and have continuously adapted to contemporary needs. For a substantial portion of the global populace, TM remains the primary conduit for healthcare, distinguished by its local accessibility, inherent affordability, and profound bio-cultural resonance. For countless others, it is a consciously chosen, personalized, and often perceived as a more natural approach to well-being. Statistical data underscores this pervasive reliance: nearly 90% of WHO Member States, specifically 170 out of 194, report that between 40% and 90% of their citizens regularly utilize traditional medical practices. This widespread adoption highlights not only its cultural significance but also its practical importance in meeting healthcare demands worldwide.
In an era marked by escalating pressures on healthcare infrastructure and persistent global health inequities, the integration of traditional medicine emerges as a critical pathway toward achieving universal health coverage (UHC). Stark figures reveal the magnitude of current challenges: an alarming 4.6 billion individuals—nearly half the global population—currently lack access to essential health services, while over 2 billion people, a quarter of humanity, endure significant financial hardship when attempting to access necessary medical care. Within this context, integrating traditional medicine into existing health systems is not merely an optional enhancement but an imperative step. It holds the potential to significantly broaden access to healthcare options, empower individuals with greater choice, and deliver affordable, people-centred care. Such integration aligns directly with the foundational principles of UHC, striving to ensure that every individual can receive the health services they require without being plunged into economic distress.
Emerging research and pilot programs increasingly demonstrate the tangible benefits of thoughtfully integrating traditional medicine into broader health systems. This synergistic approach has shown promising results in generating cost efficiencies, thereby alleviating some of the financial burdens on national health budgets. Furthermore, integrated models have been linked to improved health outcomes for patients, suggesting that a holistic approach can yield superior results. A key strength of many traditional medical systems lies in their inherent emphasis on prevention and health promotion, often focusing on lifestyle, diet, and spiritual well-being. By incorporating these preventative aspects, health systems can achieve broader public health benefits, including, for instance, a more judicious and appropriate use of antibiotics, thereby combating the looming threat of antimicrobial resistance.
However, realizing effective integration is a complex endeavour that demands a rigorous, multi-faceted approach. At its core lies the necessity for robust scientific validation. This entails applying the same stringent scientific methodologies and evidentiary standards to traditional medicine as are routinely applied to conventional biomedicine. As Dr. Sylvie Briand, WHO Chief Scientist, emphasized, "We need to apply the same scientific rigour to the assessment and validation of biomedicine and traditional medicines, while respecting biodiversity, cultural specificities and ethical principles." Alongside scientific scrutiny, the establishment of global standards for quality and safety is paramount to ensure that integrated TM practices are both effective and harmless. Complementing these are strong regulatory mechanisms, crucial for overseeing practice, products, and practitioners. The summit underscored that deeper collaborations—transcending disciplinary and national boundaries—are essential. Moreover, harnessing frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), genomics, systems biology, neurosciences, and advanced data analytics promises to revolutionize how traditional medicine is studied, understood, and applied, offering unprecedented tools for research, personalization, and outcome measurement.
Beyond its direct health benefits, traditional medicine also underpins rapidly expanding global industries, particularly in sectors like herbal medicines. A significant portion of pharmaceutical innovation has historically drawn inspiration from natural resources; indeed, all traditional medicine formulations and over half of all modern biomedical pharmaceuticals trace their origins to the natural world. This profound reliance on biodiversity underscores a critical intersection with Indigenous Peoples, who, despite representing only 6% of the global population, safeguard approximately 40% of the world’s biodiversity. Consequently, advancing traditional medicine necessitates a conscientious engagement with Indigenous rights, ensuring fair trade practices, and establishing equitable benefit-sharing mechanisms to prevent exploitation and promote sustainable development. These ethical considerations are not peripheral but central to the responsible evolution of TM.
Despite its pervasive use and indispensable role in both human well-being and the stewardship of natural resources, traditional medicine remains severely underfunded in the global research landscape. Less than 1% of global health research funding is currently allocated to TM, creating significant knowledge and research gaps. To bridge this critical deficit, the WHO unveiled a groundbreaking initiative: the Traditional Medicine Global Library. This pioneering resource, the first of its kind globally, is designed to serve as a comprehensive repository, featuring an extensive collection of over 1.6 million scientific records. These records encompass diverse research findings, policy documents, regulatory frameworks, and thematic collections pertaining to a wide array of traditional medicine applications.
The conception of this innovative library arose directly from calls made by Heads of State during the G20 and BRICS meetings in 2023, reflecting a growing international recognition of TM’s importance. Beyond aggregating data, the Traditional Medicine Global Library is structured to provide equitable online access to peer-reviewed content, specifically catering to institutions in lower-income countries through the Research4Life initiative. Furthermore, it plays a vital role in assisting nations in the systematic documentation of their traditional medicine knowledge, facilitating intellectual property protections, and actively building scientific capacity to drive future innovation within the TM sector.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General, articulated a compelling vision for this convergence, stating, "WHO is committed to uniting the wisdom of millennia with the power of modern science and technology to realise the vision of health for all." He further elaborated on the imperative of responsible, ethical, and equitable engagement, stressing that by "harnessing innovation from AI to genomics, we can unlock the potential of traditional medicine to deliver safer, smarter, and more sustainable health solutions for every community and for our planet." This sentiment was echoed by Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla, Director a.i. of WHO’s Global Traditional Medicine Centre, who affirmed that "Advancing traditional medicine is an evidence-based, ethical and environmental imperative."
Looking ahead, the summit is poised to culminate with the announcement of significant new commitments from participating governments and a diverse array of stakeholders. A pivotal outcome anticipated is a global call for the establishment of a consortium dedicated to addressing systemic gaps and accelerating the large-scale implementation of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy. This collective effort aims to foster the requisite conditions and collaborations for traditional medicine to contribute meaningfully and at scale to the flourishing of all people and the health of the planet, solidifying its place as an integral component of comprehensive global health strategies.
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