Delhi Declaration Adopted: WHO Summit Pledges Stronger Evidence, Regulation For Traditional Medicine

New Delhi: The second World Health Organisation Global Summit on traditional medicine that concluded here on Saturday adopted a Delhi declaration with the commitment to strengthen the evidence base for traditional medicine besides supporting equitable access to safe and effective traditional medicine through appropriate regulatory mechanisms.

The Global Health Summit on traditional medicine started on Wednesday was jointly organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the government of India under the theme “Restoring balance: The scientific and practice of health and wellbeing.”

The summit brought together ministers, country representatives, policy makers, researchers, innovators, indigenous peoples, traditional medicine practitioners and civil society from more than 100 countries, engaging approximately 800 participants on site and 20000 online and with over 3000 invitees attending the opening and closing ceremony.

Participants affirmed that evidence-based traditional medicine is a living science and shared biocultural heritage that contributes to universal health coverage, resilient health systems, inclusive and sustainable economies, and the health and well-being of people and planet.

Strengthening the evidence base for traditional medicine

Participants committed to implement the WHO traditional medicine research priorities global roadmap. Recognising that less than 1 per cent of global health research funding goes to traditional medicine, participants committed to expanding investment in traditional medicine research infrastructure, workforce and scientifically robust, pluralistic and ethical research methods which incorporate whole systems research, real world evidence etc.

Supporting equitable access to safe and effective traditional medicine through appropriate regulatory mechanisms

Participants committed to strengthen coherent governance and regulatory systems for traditional medicine products, practice and practitioners to ensure safety, quality, effectiveness, accountability, accessibility and public trust with respecting system diversity and biodiversity.

Integrating safe and effective traditional medicine into health systems

Participants committed to integrating safe and effective traditional medicine into national health systems particularly through primary health care in line with WHO conceptual framework for integration towards universal health coverage, in culturally respectful and people centred ways. Priorities include quality assurance, patients safety, education and accreditation, clinical practice guidelines, supported by transparent, evidence-informed policy and financing decisions.

Optimising cross sector value through data collaboration and empowered communities

Participants committed to promote meaningful leadership and participation of community that endangered people recognizing traditional medicines as part of holistic ecosystems linking the health and wellbeing of people, community and environment. This includes ensuring that community knowledge and scientific evidence jointly inform decision making processes.

Moving for what together

Reaffirming the intrinsic, interconnected value of evidence based traditional medicine in restoring balance for individual, societies and ecosystems in support of the sustainable development goals, participants committed to identify priority actions for 2025-2027 to catalyse early progress and lay the foundation for full implementation of global traditional medicine strategy through 2034.

It was vouched that member states and partners will translate the Delhi declaration into time bound national actions, supported by strengthening international collaboration, shared best practices, reporting and collective accountability.

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