By Bunmi Yekini
World Health Organization officials, ministers and health experts from more than 100 countries wrapped up a global summit on traditional medicine in India on Tuesday, pledging to better integrate the practice into national health systems and expand access to safe, evidence-based care.
The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, jointly organised with the Indian government, drew more than 16,000 online participants and 800 in-person delegates, including ministers from over 20 countries, the agency said.
The meeting focused on how traditional medicine can help countries strengthen primary healthcare, reduce inequities in access to services and respond to rising non-communicable diseases, while ensuring stronger regulation and scientific evidence.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said countries had moved beyond general recognition of traditional medicine to concrete commitments.
“Through the Delhi Commitment, countries have agreed not only on why traditional medicine matters – but on how to act,” Tedros said. “Traditional medicine can help to address many of the threats to health of our modern world.”
As part of the summit outcomes, WHO launched the Traditional Medicine Global Library, a digital platform bringing together about 1.6 million resources ranging from scientific studies to Indigenous knowledge. The platform includes evidence gap maps and an artificial intelligence-powered tool designed to help researchers and policymakers identify reliable information more quickly.
WHO also unveiled Health & Heritage Innovations (H2I), a new initiative aimed at supporting innovations that combine traditional practices with modern technologies such as artificial intelligence, genomics and digital health. Twenty-one finalists, selected from more than 1,000 submissions, will take part in a year-long programme to develop their ideas and engage with regulators, investors and policymakers.
In another move, WHO announced the creation of the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, a 19-member independent expert body that will advise on research priorities, standards and how traditional medicine can be safely integrated into health systems.
Twenty-six countries endorsed the Delhi Declaration, committing to integrate traditional medicine into primary healthcare, strengthen safety and regulatory frameworks, invest in research and improve data systems to track health outcomes.
WHO said it would now work with member states to turn the commitments into action under its Global Traditional Medicine Strategy for 2025–2034, to make healthcare systems more inclusive, culturally grounded and resilient.