New Delhi: As traditional medicine reclaims its place in global health discourse, the country stands at the forefront of this transformation as rich wealth of traditional knowledge, powered with modern regulation, digital systems, and scientific rigor marks India out as a world leader in this area, according to the Indian government.
The country was set to host the second ‘WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine’ here. The theme of the summit is “Restoring Balance for People and Planet: The Science and Practice of Well-Being.”
There are 3,844 Ayush hospitals, 36,848 dispensaries, 886 undergraduate and 251 postgraduate colleges, and more than 7.5 lakh registered practitioners in India, according to an official document.
The upcoming summit further underscores India’s strength in shaping international discourse aimed at strengthening standards, and establishing frameworks for evidence-based traditional healthcare. This is also in alignment with the vision of Viksit Bharat in 2047, said the government.
In India, traditional medicine systems like Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani, hold profound cultural, health, and economic importance and have been deeply embedded in daily life for years. They offer holistic, preventive and person-centred approaches to well-being.
Under the Ministry of AYUSH, systems such as Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa and Homoeopathy are formally recognised within India’s public-health framework and continue to be widely practised through national institutions, service networks and community traditions.
The World Health Organization (WHO) acknowledges traditional, complementary and integrative medicine as a significant source of primary health care, valued for its cultural relevance, accessibility and personalised nature.
