NEW DELHI: In a significant move for the global recognition of traditional medicine, the World Health Organization (WHO) has announced the 2025 update to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11).
The update introduces a pioneering new module dedicated to traditional medicine conditions, marking a monumental step in the systematic tracking and global integration of traditional systems of healthcare practices related to Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani, officials said Wednesday.
This inclusion of traditional medicine in WHO’s internationally recognised health framework ensures that the traditional health systems of Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani are officially documented and categorized in ICD-11, alongside conventional medical conditions.
“This elevates their status in global health reporting, research, and policymaking,” according to a statement by the Ministry of Ayush.
According to Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, "The release of the ICD-11 update 2025 represents a significant step toward global integration of traditional medicine, specifically Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani.”
“By allowing dual coding and improving data collection, this update fosters evidence-based policymaking, enhances patient care, and supports the inclusion of traditional medicine in national healthcare strategies, promoting holistic and inclusive healthcare worldwide,” he said.
He said this update also “marks a pivotal moment for traditional medicine, paving the way for its global integration and empowering evidence-based integrative healthcare policies that embrace holistic well-being."
“With the new updates, the ICD-11 offers more ease of use, improved interoperability and accuracy, which will benefit national health systems and the people they serve,” said Dr. Robert Jakob, Team Leader, Classifications and Terminologies Unit, WHO.
According to WHO, ICD-11 is a tool that standardizes the language used by health professionals worldwide in diagnosing, reporting and monitoring diseases, injuries and causes of death. The ICD is a flagship WHO product that serves as the basis for identifying health trends and statistics at a country level and worldwide.
This update follows the successful year-long testing and deliberations after the launch of ICD-11 TM-2 on January 10, 2024, in New Delhi for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani systems of medicine for country implementation testing.
It culminates in the deliberations held at the WHO meeting at the National Institute of Health in Malaysia in November 2024.
The ICD-11 TM 2 module is now officially released on the ICD-11 Blue Browser of WHO, the ministry said.
Traditional medicine has long been an essential component of healthcare, particularly in Asia, Africa, and other regions where indigenous practices complement modern medical approaches.
This move aligns with WHO’s mission to promote universal health coverage and sustainable development goals, recognizing the therapeutic potential of these systems alongside contemporary medical treatments.
Including traditional medicine within ICD-11 offers a host of advantages for global healthcare. By providing standardized terminology and definitions, the module will enable the global tracking of traditional medicine usage, ensuring comprehensive reporting of its application.
It will support the integration of traditional medicine into national healthcare strategies, ensuring its contribution to global health priorities.
It will also allow healthcare providers to incorporate traditional medicine practices into clinical decision-making for more holistic treatment plans.
Also, it will provide a framework for researchers to analyze the efficacy of traditional medicine alongside modern medical treatments.
The traditional medicine module in ICD-11 is designed to capture morbidity data, rather than mortality and will help governments and healthcare institutions assess the frequency, quality, and cost-effectiveness of traditional medicine interventions. This evidence-based approach will allow policymakers to make informed decisions about the integration of traditional medicine services into national health frameworks.
As more people turn to traditional medicine alongside modern medical treatments, WHO’s initiative reflects its commitment to ensuring that all forms of healthcare - both modern and traditional - are accounted for in public health strategies.