Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi concluded

Posted 20 Dec 2025

2 min read

Article Summary

The summit launched global health initiatives, including a digital library, quality benchmarks, and the Delhi Declaration, recognizing traditional medicine's cultural importance and WHO's strategy for 2025–2034.

Key developments at summit

Launch of Traditional Medicine Global Library: Ensures equitable global access to scientific data, policy resources and validated knowledge.
WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) building inaugurated in New Delhi.
Launch of My Ayush Integrated Services Portal (MAISP): A Master digital portal for Ayush sector.
Launch of Ayush Mark: Proposed global quality benchmark for AYUSH products/services.
Adoption of Delhi Declaration: Recognises traditional medicine as shared biocultural heritage and aligned with WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.

About Traditional Medicines

Definition: Traditional medicine encompasses codified and non-codified healthcare systems rooted in historical and cultural traditions that predate biomedicine.
India’s Traditional Medicine Systems: India's AYUSH sector (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homoeopathy) is valued at $43.4 billion and has expanded nearly eight-fold in the past decade.
Initiatives for traditional medicine in India
- National AYUSH Mission (NAM) 2014: Centrally Sponsored Scheme strengthens infrastructure, services & co-location of AYUSH facilities.
- Ayurgyan: For research & capacity building, drug standardisation, medicinal plant research etc.
- AOGUSY (AYUSH Oushadhi Gunvatta evum Uttapadan Samvardhan Yojana): Focus on drug quality, standardisation & pharmacovigilance.
- Other Initiatives: IEC campaigns, Medical Value Travel (MVT) and Digitisation like Ayush Grid, Traditional Knowledge Digital Library.