New Delhi: Regional Director of WHO (World Health Organisation) South-East Asia, Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh on Sunday (August 13), said that the traditional systems of medicine have the potential to improve health, wellness, and people-centred health care.
The traditional systems of medicine have the potential to improve health, wellness, and people-centred health care. WHO has been collaborating with member countries in the region to strengthen farmer co-vigilance and research capacity. And set benchmarks for training and practices in several traditional medicine systems in the region, Dr Poonam Khetrapal said.
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To assess the efficacy of products WHO has been developing common regional research guidelines.
Countries in the region are at the forefront of the global momentum on traditional and complementary medicine reflecting their commitment to leveraging the potential of traditional and complementary medicines to achieve national, regional, and global goals, she added.
Dr Khetrapal said that the region’s progress has been strong, more needs to be done to integrate safe and effective traditional medicine into health systems, to help meet the health needs of the people throughout the life course.
WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia said,
An evidence-based approach is crucial for the coexistence of traditional medicine guiding decisions and effective modalities and integration methods. The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Center in Jamnagar and this traditional medicine summit will accelerate efforts to harness the immense potential of traditional medicine to achieve health for all, she added.
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She also claimed that the insufficient scientific knowledge on the safety and efficacy of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) products and practices is the main barrier in the way to accessing safe and quality T&CM services. She further said,
A key barrier to enabling access to safe and quality traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) services, including through integration into national health systems, is insufficient scientific knowledge on the safety and efficacy of T&CM products and practices..
She endorsed that the stronger evidence base will enable countries to develop appropriate mechanisms and policy guidance for regulation, quality control and monitoring of T&CM practices and said that Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer, revolutionizing the study and practice of traditional healing systems.
She also said,
There has been remarkable and rapid modernization of the ways traditional medicine is being studied. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a game-changer, revolutionizing the study and practice of traditional healing systems. AI’s advanced algorithms and machine learning capabilities have allowed researchers to explore extensive traditional medical knowledge, mapping evidence and identifying once elusive trends. Amid this wave of progress, it is vital to ensure responsible and equitable use of these technologies, including by strengthening digital infrastructure, and addressing ethical considerations, such as data privacy, consent, bias, and fair access.
According to WHO’s official website, the World Health Organization (WHO) is convening the Traditional Medicine Global Summit on 17 and 18 August 2023 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
Co-hosted by the Government of India, the Summit will explore the role of traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine in addressing pressing health challenges and driving progress in global health and sustainable development.
High-level participants will include the WHO Director-General and Regional Directors, G20 health ministers and high-level invitees from countries across WHO’s six regions. Scientists, practitioners of traditional medicine, health workers and members of civil society organizations will also take part, the WHO site said.
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(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
NDTV – Dettol have been working towards a clean and healthy India since 2014 via the Banega Swachh India initiative, which is helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. The campaign aims to highlight the inter-dependency of humans and the environment, and of humans on one another with the focus on One Health, One Planet, One Future – Leaving No One Behind. It stresses on the need to take care of, and consider, everyone’s health in India – especially vulnerable communities – theLGBTQ population,indigenous people, India’s different tribes, ethnic and linguistic minorities, people with disabilities, migrants, geographically remote populations, gender and sexual minorities. In wake of the currentCOVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water,SanitationandHygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign will continue to raise awareness on the same along with focussing on the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children, fightmalnutrition, mental wellbeing, self care, science and health,adolescent health & gender awareness. Along with the health of people, the campaign has realised the need to also take care of the health of the eco-system. Our environment is fragile due to human activity, which is not only over-exploiting available resources, but also generating immense pollution as a result of using and extracting those resources. The imbalance has also led to immense biodiversity loss that has caused one of the biggest threats to human survival – climate change. It has now been described as a “code red for humanity.” The campaign will continue to cover issues likeair pollution,waste management,plastic ban,manual scavengingand sanitation workers andmenstrual hygiene. Banega Swasth India will also be taking forward the dream of Swasth Bharat, the campaign feels that only a Swachh or clean India wheretoiletsare used andopen defecation free (ODF)status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched byPrime Minister Narendra Modiin 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and the country can become a Swasth or healthy India.
