11 September 2023
Dr. Surendra Chaudhary
India's G20 presidency in 2023 has been a significant opportunity to showcase the country's rich heritage of traditional medicine and its potential to contribute to global health and well-being.
India's approach to traditional medicine at the G20 is likely to have a significant impact on the global use of traditional medicine. The country's leadership in this area is helping to raise awareness of the potential benefits of traditional medicine and promote its safe and effective use.
As part of its G20 agenda, India has prioritized the following areas related to traditional medicine:
- Promoting the safe and effective use of traditional medicine: India is working to strengthen the regulation and quality control of traditional medicine products and services. The country is also supporting research on the safety and efficacy of traditional medicine practices.
- Integrating traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare systems: India is working to integrate evidence-based traditional medicine practices into mainstream healthcare systems. This includes making traditional medicine services available at public health facilities and training healthcare professionals in traditional medicine practices.
- Promoting global cooperation on traditional medicine: India is working to promote global cooperation on traditional medicine research and development. The country is also supporting capacity building in traditional medicine in developing countries.
In August 2023, India hosted the first-ever WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. The summit brought together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders from around the world to discuss the role of traditional medicine in global health and sustainable development.
The summit resulted in a number of key outcomes, including the adoption of the Gandhinagar Declaration on Traditional Medicine. The declaration calls for the safe and effective use of traditional medicine, its integration into mainstream healthcare systems, and the promotion of global cooperation on traditional medicine.
India's approach to traditional medicine at the G20 has been widely praised by other member countries. Many countries are now looking to India for leadership in this area.
Here are some specific examples of India's approach to traditional medicine at the G20:
- India has established a G20 Traditional Medicine Working Group to develop concrete recommendations for promoting the safe and effective use of traditional medicine and its integration into mainstream healthcare systems.
- India has launched a G20 Traditional Medicine Compendium, which is a digital repository of traditional medicine knowledge and practices from G20 countries.
- India is supporting research on the safety and efficacy of traditional medicine practices through the G20 Traditional Medicine Research Network.
- India is working to integrate traditional medicine into its own healthcare system through the Ayushman Bharat program, which provides universal health coverage to millions of Indians.
One can Download the G20 Primer on Traditional Medicine-
Dr. Surendra Chaudhary
Ayurveda Consultant