By Narinjara Correspondent

Guwahati: India’s Union Ayush ministry has signed the host country agreement with  World HealthOrganization for establishing WHO Global Centrefor Traditional Medicine at Jamnagar of Gujarat. This unique centre, presently scheduled to functionfrom the campus of  Ayurveda institute of training & research in  western India, will be supported by an investment of around  USD 250 million from theUnion government in New Delhi.

“The primary objective of GCTM is to harness the potentialof traditional medicine fromacross the world through modern science andtechnology and to improve overall health of the communities’ worldwide,”said  Ayush minister Sarbananda Sonowal terming it as an outstanding achievement of the people of India. Sonowal, also in charge of Union ports, shipping &waterways ministry, lauded Prime MinisterNarendra Modi for his untiring effort towards establishment of the global centre.

The groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled to take place on21  April 2022 in thepresence of PM Modi. The agreement was signed on 25 March last in the Swish city of Geneva by WHOdirector general Dr Tedros AdhanomGhebreyesus and Ayush ministry’s secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha. Earlier, the Indian Union cabinet approved theestablishment of the centre, whichis designed to engage and benefit all the regions in the world.

“It is heartening to learn about the signing agreement forthe establishment of GCTM. Throughvarious initiatives, our government has beentireless in its endeavour to make preventive and curative healthcare, affordable and accessibleto all. The Jamnagar global centrewill help in providing the best healthcare solutions to the world,” said Modi in his message.

Highlighting the importance of New Delhi’s initiative, WHOdirector general Dr Tedroscommented that harnessing the potential oftraditional medicine by drawing on modern science and principles of equity and sustainability will be agame changer for health in the 21stcentury. GCTM will be the first and only global centre (office) for traditional medicine across theworld, he added.

The centre will focus on building a solid evidence base forpolicies and standards on traditionalmedicine practices and products and help countriesintegrate it as appropriate into their health systems and regulate its quality and safety foroptimal and sustainable impact. It isexpected to bring far-reaching benefits and reputation to traditional medicine systems around theworld. Moreover, the initiativewould go a long way in helping the whole of humanity to get affordable and reliable health services.

Traditional medicine is a key pillar of health care deliverysystems and it plays a crucialrole in maintaining good health and well-being not only in India, but across the world. Indian people continue adopting and promoting varioustraditional medicinal practices like Ayurveda,Yoga, Siddha, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy, Naturopathy, Sowa Rigpa, etc. In recent years,traditional medicine therapies have seen amajor transformation as usage of artificial intelligence and technological innovations has made itmore accessible to masses.