According to WHO, traditional medicine comprises practices and knowledge from various historical and cultural contexts, which pre-date biomedicine and mainstream medical practices.
Traditional medicine emphasizes nature-based remedies and holistic, personalised approaches to restore balance of mind, body and environment.
Ms. Kuruvilla said global demand for traditional medicine is rising due to chronic diseases, mental health needs, stress management and the search for meaningful care.
Despite widespread use and demand, however, less than one per cent of global health research funding currently supports it, she added.
With half the world’s population lacking access to essential health services, traditional medicine is often the closest or only care available for many people
“The Global Summit aims to foster the conditions and collaborations required for traditional medicine to contribute at scale to the flourishing of all people and our planet,” Ms. Kuruvilla concluded.
Simultaneously, WHO is launching a global traditional medicine library — the first-of-its-kind digital platform with over 1.6 million scientific records on the topic, a traditional medicine data network and a Framework on Indigenous Knowledge, Biodiversity and Health, among other initiatives.
