The World Health Summit (WHS) Regional Meeting, scheduled to take place from April 25–27, 2025, in New Delhi, is set to provide a vital platform for shaping the global health agenda, with a special focus on the integration and scaling up of traditional medicine systems. Among the key highlights of the summit is a session titled “Restoring Balance: Scaling up Access to Traditional Medicine for Health and Well-being”, which promises to serve as a major milestone for the global traditional medicine sector.

The Union Minister of State (I/C), Ministry of Ayush, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, underlined the significance of the event and mentioned, “The WHS Regional Meeting is a timely opportunity to advance global dialogue on traditional medicine. The dedicated session reflects growing global interest in holistic health. As we prepare for the 2^nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit in December, hosted in Delhi and anchored by the WHO-GTMC in Jamnagar, India reaffirms its commitment to global well-being.”

Organized under the overarching theme “Scaling Access to Ensure Health Equity,” the WHS Regional Meeting will bring together ministers, leading scientists, CEOs, UN officials, and civil society stakeholders to explore innovative, inclusive, and sustainable pathways to achieving health for all. Of particular significance is the dedicated session on traditional medicine, which seeks to harness the transformative potential of combining time-tested traditional knowledge with cutting-edge scientific research.

The session on traditional medicine will delve into how holistic health systems rooted in ancient wisdom can help meet the growing global demand for person-centred care and contribute to health equity. Experts will examine opportunities to advance universal access to safe and effective traditional medicine practices by leveraging technological innovations, evidence-based research, and evolving regulatory frameworks.

This session holds particular relevance in the lead-up to the 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit, to be held from December 2–4, 2025, in New Delhi. Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, stated, “The WHS Regional Meeting offers a crucial platform to promote evidence-based traditional medicine within global health discussions. The session on traditional medicine sets the stage for the 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit in December, supported by the WHO-GTMC and reflecting India’s leadership in advancing traditional medicine globally.”

Dr Shyama Kuruvilla, Director, WHO GTMC, mentioned, “The WHS Regional Meeting is an important milestone as we move toward the 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit. The engagement with global stakeholders here in Delhi reinforces the worldwide commitment towards the evidence-based implementation of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Strategy towards Health and Well-being for All”

The GTMC, established under a Host Country Agreement between the Government of India through the Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organisation in 2022, is the first and only WHO outposted global Centre for traditional medicine. It plays a critical role in

advancing the safe, effective, and sustainable use of traditional medicine across WHO Member States by integrating indigenous knowledge systems with global health strategies.

As anticipation builds for the 2^nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit, the WHS Regional Meeting in New Delhi is poised to catalyse critical dialogues and partnerships that will shape the trajectory of traditional medicine in the global health landscape. It will also amplify India's leadership role in promoting traditional medicine, reaffirming its commitment to global well-being and sustainable health solutions rooted in cultural heritage.

The upcoming discussions are expected to pave the way for renewed international collaboration, innovation, and policy-making in traditional medicine, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the WHO's vision of universal health coverage.

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