[Answered] Highlight the significance of traditional medicines. Also, enumerate the steps taken by the government to globalize traditional medicines.

WHO (World Health Organization) describes traditional medicine as the total sum of the “knowledge, skills and practices to maintain health and prevent, diagnose and treat physical and mental illness”. Traditional medicine in India includes practices and therapies such as yoga, Ayurveda, Siddha, homeopathy and Sowa-Rigpa system.  These medicinal systems have a very rich history of their effectiveness; modern research also acknowledged the importance of such medicines.

Significance of traditional medicines:

• According to WHO, about 40% of approved pharmaceutical products today derive from natural substances.
• Functional MRI is used to study brain activity and the relaxation response which is part of some traditional medicine therapies such as meditation and yoga.
• Around 80% of the world’s population is estimated to use traditional medicine, such as herbal medicines, acupuncture, yoga, indigenous therapies and others.
• The lack of health care systems, especially for the rural people and the urban poor, makes them rely on the use of herbal medicine when they are ill.
• It is decentralized i.e., it is easily and quickly available to individuals for whom travelling to urban centers for treatment is inconvenient, time-consuming and costly.

Steps taken by the government to globalize traditional medicines:

• The Ministry of AYUSH signed a project collaboration agreement (PCA) with the WHO to create benchmarks for training in yoga, Ayurveda, Unani and Panchakarma. The collaboration also aimed at promoting the quality and safety of traditional medicine and consumer protection by the implementation of the WHO Traditional and Complementary Medicine Strategy.
• Different MoUs for undertaking research and development of traditional medicine have been signed with institutes, universities and organisations from the several countries including USA, Australia.
• The WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar, Gujarat, India, will be an accessible, eco-friendly facility which will serve as a hub for other countries, and build standards on traditional medicine practices and products.
• The WHO and the central government are also aiming at using technology and innovation, such as artificial intelligence, to map traditional medicine trends, innovations and patents, linking to WHO’s Innovation Hub.

In spite of incredible advances in modern science, technology and allopathic medicine, we are unable to provide quality healthcare to all. Safe and effective traditional medicine will play a significant role in ensuring all people have access to quality essential health care services and affordable essential medicines, and help in achieving the Sustainable Development Goal by 2030.