Geneva [Switzerland], May 11 : The Sixth Meeting of the Group of Friends of Traditional Medicine (GFTM) was successfully held on May 9 at the Permanent Mission of India (PMI) in Geneva.
The meeting brought together ambassador's representatives from various countries committed to strengthening the role of traditional medicine in global healthcare systems, according to the Ministry of AYUSH statement.
Building on the Gujarat Declaration and the success of past meetings, this gathering supports key global initiatives, particularly the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034 and the upcoming Second WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit, to be held in India from December 2-4, 2025.
Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha delivered a keynote address virtually that underscored India's leadership and commitment in promoting evidence-based traditional medicine across the world.
In his remarks Secretary, Ministry of Ayush emphasized the growing relevance of traditional medicine in achieving universal health coverage and advancing the goals of One Health and Sustainable Development, as per the Ministry of AYUSH.
He reaffirmed India's commitment through Ministry of Ayush with initiatives like the National AYUSH Mission, the integrative model of Ayush Arogya Mandirs, insurance coverage for traditional medicine, and collaborative research with premier institutions like DBT, DST, ICMR, and CSIR.
According to the Ministry of AYUSH, the address also highlighted India's focus on emerging domains such as AI, genomics, and bioinformatics in traditional medicinereflected in the global technical meeting on AI applications in traditional medicine underscoring the country's role in safeguarding traditional knowledge, enhancing capacity, and promoting equitable global health.
"The Group of Friends of Traditional Medicine (GFTM) was created by India in May 2023. This informal platform allows WHO member states to discuss and support the integration of traditional medicine into health systems," he said, calling for greater collaboration, knowledge exchange, and research partnerships.
India's Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, which hosted the meeting, reaffirmed its commitment to furthering international cooperation on traditional and integrative healthcare solutions, in alignment with WHO guidelines and national policies.
With platforms like GFTM and the leadership of the Ministry of Ayush, India is not only preserving its traditional wellness heritage but also reshaping the future of global health, one that is inclusive, preventive, and deeply rooted in the wisdom of nature.
It is to be noted that the Group of Friends of Traditional Medicine will host a high-level side event during the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78) on 23 May 2025 from 6:00 to 7:30 PM at the UN Palais des Nations, Geneva. Titled "Traditional Medicine: From Traditional Heritage to Frontier Science, for Health for All", the event will highlight the growing global momentum to integrate Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) within universal health systems and sustainable development frameworks.
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