AHMEDABAD: Nations are looking for traditional remedies to address non-communicable diseases, mental health issues, and many other conditions, said WHO Director-General.
At the launch of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit in Gandhinagar, Gujarat on Thursday, WHO (World Health Organisation) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated, "India has a rich history of traditional medicine through Ayurveda, including Yoga, which has been shown to be effective in alleviating pain."
He was speaking during the Summit's official opening when he said, "Yesterday (Wednesday), I had the honour to visit a wellness and health centre in Gujarat that provides health services to approximately 5,000 people from 1,000 homes. The way they are utilising medicine to increase service delivery while reducing travel-related costs in terms of time and money astounded me. This is what universal health looks like.”
Tedros Ghebreyesus also stated traditional medicine has significantly improved human health and has enormous potential to promote general well-being.
Remembering his last year visit, Tedros said, "I also observed the integration of traditional medicine at the primary healthcare level. One of the best things about traditional medicine is its understanding of...links between human health and our environment, which is why WHO is urging organisations to assist nations in realising the full potential of traditional medicine through the global traditional medicine centre in Jamnagar, which I had the honour of launching with Prime Minister Narendra Modi last year.”
Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare, who attended the event, said that “It would be a rare opportunity for India to participate in discussions, share ideas, encourage collaboration, and forge international alliances in order to advance the cause of complementary and alternative medicine and to collaborate on promoting and maximising the potential of traditional healing practises around the world.”
He continued, "This Global Summit on traditional medicine may be the venue to mobilise political commitment and, evidence-based action on traditional medicine, which is the first port of call for millions of people globally to meet their health and wellbeing needs.
Gujarat hosted its first global traditional summit, co-hosted by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Ministry of Ayush, a significant assembly of global health leaders and stakeholders. This gathering, part of India's G20 Presidency, will include an impressive line-up of esteemed dignitaries, health experts, and policymakers from around the world.