10:20, 31 марта 2022, Bishkek - 24.kg news agency , Maria ORLOVA
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Government of India signed an agreement to establish the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine. The organization’s website says.
This global knowledge centre for traditional medicine, supported by an investment of $250 million from the Government of India, aims to harness the potential of traditional medicine from across the world through modern science and technology to improve the health of people and the planet.
Around 80 percent of the world’s population is estimated to use traditional medicine. To date, 170 of the 194 WHO member states have reported the use of traditional medicine.
«For many millions of people around the world, traditional medicine is the first port of call to treat many diseases,» said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. «Ensuring all people have access to safe and effective treatment is an essential part of WHO’s mission, and this new center will help to harness the power of science to strengthen the evidence base for traditional medicine.»
The term traditional medicine describes the total sum of the knowledge, skills and practices indigenous and different cultures have used over time to maintain health and prevent, diagnose and treat physical and mental illness. Its reach encompasses ancient practices such as acupuncture, ayurvedic medicine and herbal mixtures as well as modern medicines.
But today, national health systems and strategies do not yet fully integrate the millions of traditional medicine workers, accredited courses, health facilities, and health expenditures.
Traditional medicine is also increasingly prominent in the world of modern science.
Some 40 percent of approved pharmaceutical products in use today derive from natural substances, highlighting the vital importance of conserving biodiversity and sustainability.
For example, the discovery of aspirin drew on traditional medicine formulations using the bark of the willow tree, the contraceptive pill was developed from the roots of wild yam plants and child cancer treatments have been based on the rosy periwinkle. Nobel-prize winning research on artemisinin for malaria control started with a review of ancient Chinese medicine texts.
The new WHO centre will be established in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India. The new centre is being designed to engage and benefit all regions of the world. «It will concentrate on building a solid evidence base for policies and standards on traditional medicine practices and products and help countries integrate it as appropriate into their health systems and regulate its quality and safety for optimal and sustainable impact,» the WHO said.