To address changing global contexts and growing demand for Traditional Medicine (TM) and related evidence, WHO established the Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC) in 2022 with foundational support from the Government of India. As part of WHO’s overall TM strategy, GTMC focuses on research and evidence, strengthening health systems, biodiversity and equity, and innovation and technology to optimize the contribution of TM to global health and sustainable development. At the same time, respect for local heritages, resources and rights is a guiding principle.

This centre has a strategic vision to catalyze ancient wisdom and modern science towards the holistic health and well-being of people and planet. It will serve as a key knowledge hub for evidence-based Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) on a global scale. This global out posted Centre (Office) for traditional medicine across the world is having following key objectives:

To position Ayush systems across the globe.

To provide leadership on global health matters pertaining to traditional medicine.

To ensure quality, safety and efficacy, accessibility and rational use of traditional medicine.

To develop norms, standards, and guidelines in relevant technical areas, tools and methodologies, for collecting data undertaking analytics, and assess impact. Envisage WHO Traditional Medicine (TM) Informatics Centre creating a collaborative of existing Traditional Medicine (TM) Data Banks, virtual libraries, and academic and research institutes.

To develop specific capacity building and training programmes in the areas of relevance to the objectives and conduct training programmes in campus, residential, or web-based, and through partnerships with the WHO Academy and other strategic partners.

The GTMC workplan focuses on TM Research & Evidence, TM Global Summit, TM Primary Health Care (PHC) and Universal Health Coverage (UHC), TM Indigenous Knowledges & Biodiversity, and TM Digital Health Applications, as well as ensuring effective leadership and strategy, operations and management, and monitoring and evaluation.

As the host and lead investor in the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC), India plays a pivotal role in shaping the GTMC’s agenda and signed 25 Country-to-Country MoUs, 15 Ayush Chair MoUs, and 52 Institute-to-Institute MoUs to facilitate international collaboration, academic exchange, and standardization efforts.

GTMC has led a progressive effort to drive greater coordination within and across WHO regions and headquarters departments, bringing greater visibility, multidisciplinary expertise and capacity to WHO’s work on TM. GTMC worked closely with WHO senior management, including the Office of the Director-General’s Envoy for Multilateral Affairs, in engaging with G20 and BRICS members to strengthen the recognition of the vital role of TM in global health and socioeconomic development. GTMC has also introduced a mechanism for regular engagement between WHO headquarters and regional and country office colleagues through a Technical Expert Network (TEN).

GTMC, Jamnagar, co-hosted the first WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit in 2023, to facilitate international exchange of best practices and scientific evidence. In 2024, GTMC co-sponsored several events, including a G20 Health Working Group event, “Traditional Medicine for Achieving Sustainable Development Goals and Universal Health Coverage”, in Salvador, Brazil, in June; and a high-level breakfast panel during the sixteenth Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) in Cali, Colombia, in October.

So far as the completion of infrastructure  of the GTMC, Jamnagar is concerned ,  as of October, 2025, the overall physical progress is 79% and financial progress is 40%.

This information was given by the Minister of State (IC) for Ayush Shri Pratap Rao Jadhav in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha today.

******

SR/GS/SG