GENEVA — In a significant milestone for global healthcare collaboration, the Government of India has formally committed an additional US$ 85 million over a ten-year period, spanning from 2022 to 2032, to support the programming and expansion of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Traditional Medicine Centre. The agreement was finalized during a high-profile signing ceremony held in Geneva, cementing a long-term partnership designed to harness the vast potential of traditional healing systems for populations worldwide.
This substantial financial contribution is dedicated to supporting a cross-sectoral program of work aimed at strengthening the empirical evidence base for traditional medicine. By providing robust data and verifiable evidence regarding traditional medicine policies, clinical practices, manufactured products, and public usage patterns, the initiative seeks to bridge the gap between ancient healing wisdom and modern scientific validation.
The newly finalized donor agreement represents a vital component of a broader, landmark US$ 250 million investment made by the Government of India to facilitate the establishment and operation of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine, which was officially launched in 2022. This comprehensive financial support package encompasses funding for the Centre’s core operational workplan, the outfitting of its interim premises, and the eventual construction of its permanent new building. Furthermore, this initiative is designed to strategically scale up the WHO’s internal institutional capacities regarding traditional medicine across multiple technical divisions and regional offices, operating firmly in the spirit of global collaboration and international solidarity.
A notable portion of this substantial financial contribution from the Government of India has also been earmarked for inclusion in the upcoming WHO Investment Round. This funding will help resource the organization’s core programmatic work during the crucial 2025–2028 strategic window, ensuring that traditional medicine is adequately integrated into broader global health priorities.
Global health authorities have widely praised the announcement, emphasizing its profound timing and strategic importance. Dr. Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General of the Universal Health Coverage and Life Course division at the WHO, highlighted the critical nature of the partnership during the ceremony. He noted that India’s unwavering commitment and visionary leadership in expanding the evidence-based contribution of traditional medicine to the health and well-being of all people and the planet arrives at a remarkably opportune moment. Dr. Aylward further stressed that when traditional medicine is properly supported and integrated within national health systems, it serves as a powerful vehicle to reach vulnerable populations who are most often left behind by conventional care models, adding that the integration of traditional practices and ancient knowledge remains an absolute prerequisite to achieving the ultimate global goal of health for all.
The agreement is viewed by government officials as the realization of a shared ambition. Vice Minister Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush for the Government of India, described the signing of the donor agreement as a major milestone on the path toward achieving the shared vision of the Honourable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, and WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, concerning the establishment and development of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre located at Jamnagar in the Indian state of Gujarat.
Echoing these sentiments, Ambassador Arindam Bagchi, Permanent Representative of India to the United Nations and other International Organizations in Geneva, reaffirmed his nation’s dedication to the cause. He stated that India remains resolutely committed to supporting the WHO in its ongoing mission to strengthen traditional medicine systems globally. According to Ambassador Bagchi, this endeavor is essential for achieving universal health coverage and serving humanity as a whole, with the Global Centre in Jamnagar serving as a dedicated focal point designed to channel these collaborative efforts toward the direct benefit of all WHO Member States.
The WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre functions primarily as an international knowledge hub, concentrating its core activities across five highly interconnected areas of work. These focus zones include advanced research and evidence-generation; the strengthening of primary health care and universal health coverage frameworks; the preservation and respect of Indigenous Knowledges and global biodiversity; the development of digital health applications tailored to traditional practices; and the organization of the biennial WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit alongside related international collaborations. The day-to-day operations of the Centre are currently led by Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla, who serves as Director a.i.
The influence of the Centre and its collaborative network has grown steadily since its inception. The inaugural WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit was convened in August 2023 in Gujarat, drawing international experts, practitioners, and policymakers. The landmark event culminated in the adoption of a comprehensive multistakeholder action agenda known widely as the Gujarat Declaration. Building upon the momentum generated at that gathering, planning is already well underway for the next WHO Global Summit, which is scheduled to take place in November 2025. That upcoming summit will follow closely on the heels of the anticipated launch of the ambitious 2025–2034 Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine, which is slated for formal presentation at the 78th World Health Assembly in May 2025.
India’s robust support for traditional medicine is deeply rooted in a variety of long-standing, productive partnerships with the global health agency. In 2023, India signed a separate five-year agreement specifically designed to financially back the specialized technical work of the WHO’s Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCI) unit. The TCI unit plays a pivotal role within the organization, actively supporting the development of the new global strategy requested by Member States, while concurrently publishing essential benchmark documents, standardized clinical terminologies, and a wide array of other evidence-informed technical products. These resources are designed to assist countries worldwide in safely, effectively, and responsibly integrating traditional medicine practices into their respective national health systems.
To ensure maximum efficiency and alignment, the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre and the TCI unit maintain a close, collaborative working relationship with numerous teams across the entire organization. This partnership advances the WHO’s broad multisectoral agenda on traditional medicine through mechanisms such as regular meetings of the WHO Technical Expert Network. Coordinated jointly by the Geneva-based TCI unit and the Centre in Jamnagar, this network actively promotes a cohesive "One WHO" approach toward traditional medicine, seamlessly bridging activities across WHO headquarters, regional offices, and country-level operations around the globe.
