WHO Says Traditional Medicine Use Surges Worldwide

Communities and families in the Western Pacific Region use traditional and complementary medicine extensively for a variety of health problems, from minor ailments to life-threatening diseases.

The vast majority of World Health Organization (WHO) member States say that 40 to 90 per cent of their populations now use traditional medicine.
That’s according to Shyama Kuruvilla, Director of WHO’s Global Traditional Medicine Centre, established in 2022 to tap into the potential of these systems for healthcare and well-being.

“With half the world’s population lacking access to essential health services, traditional medicine is often the closest or only care available for many people,” Ms Kuruvilla told a virtual media briefing on Wednesday, ahead of this month’s WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine.

“For many others, it is a preferred choice because it is personalised and holistic. It is bioculturally aligned and supports overall well-being rather than treating only specific disease symptoms,” she continued.

What is traditional medicine?

According to WHO, traditional medicine comprises practices and knowledge from various historical and cultural contexts that pre-date biomedicine and mainstream medical practices.
Traditional medicine emphasises nature-based remedies and holistic, personalised approaches to restore balance of mind, body and environment.

Ms Kuruvilla said global demand for traditional medicine is rising due to chronic diseases, mental health needs, stress management and the search for meaningful care.
Despite widespread use and demand, however, less than one per cent of global health research funding currently supports it, she added.

What will happen at the Summit?

The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine will take place from 17 to 19 December and will bring together policymakers, practitioners, scientists and Indigenous leaders from around the world.
It will be held in New Delhi, India, and online.

Participants will discuss how to implement the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy through 2034, which aims to advance evidence-based traditional, complementary and integrative medicine and provides guidance on regulation and multi-stakeholder collaboration.

“The Global Summit aims to foster the conditions and collaborations required for traditional medicine to contribute at scale to the flourishing of all people and our planet,” Ms Kuruvilla concluded.

Simultaneously, WHO is launching a global traditional medicine library — the first-of-its-kind digital platform with over 1.6 million scientific records on the topic — along with a traditional medicine data network and a Framework on Indigenous Knowledge, Biodiversity and Health, among other initiatives.