On November 29, the Group of Friends of Traditional Medicine convened in Geneva to explore opportunities for joint action in 2025, fostering collaboration and coordination among WHO Member States.
Ambassadors and health representatives from nearly 30 countries gathered for a meeting hosted by the Permanent Mission of India. The discussion focused on advancing traditional medicine as a key driver of health equity in 2025. Key opportunities discussed included the release of the draft Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine, 2025–2030 at the World Health Assembly in May 2025, and the second WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit, scheduled for December 2025 in New Delhi, India, organized by the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre.
H.E. Arindam Bagchi, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, opened the meeting by emphasizing that traditional medicine plays a critical role in achieving holistic well-being and advancing universal health coverage in an equitable, accessible, and sustainable way. This meeting marked the fifth gathering of the Group of Friends since its establishment by India in May 2023 as an informal platform for Member States to discuss traditional medicine.
In a video address, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus thanked the Group for its commitment to strengthening the evidence base for traditional medicine and combining ancient practices with modern innovations to promote “Health for All.” He highlighted WHO’s ongoing initiatives, including setting research priorities, standardizing data collection, promoting biodiversity, and developing a Traditional Medicine Global Library, all aimed at ensuring equitable access and benefits through an intellectual property framework.
Speaking from New Delhi, H.E. Rajesh Kotecha, India’s Vice-Minister and Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, stressed that India’s collaboration with WHO underscores its recognition of traditional medicine’s role in achieving holistic health.
The meeting featured contributions from WHO technical staff and senior leaders, including a keynote address by Dr. Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General for Universal Health Coverage-Life Course, and remarks from Dr. Razia Pendse, WHO Chef de Cabinet. Dr. Liu Qin of WHO’s Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine unit outlined the goals of the draft Global Strategy, while Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla, Director a.i. of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre, provided framing comments on the theme of the upcoming Global Summit: “Restoring balance: the science and practice of health and well-being.”
Dr. Carlos Correa, Executive Director of the South Centre, highlighted the growing economic significance of traditional medicine, noting that the global market is expanding by 7-8% annually and is expected to reach US$ 289 billion by 2031.
Representatives from various countries, including Bangladesh, Botswana, Brazil, Colombia, Ethiopia, Iran, Malaysia, Mexico, Micronesia, Panama, Peru, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Thailand, Timor Leste, Togo, and others, shared their experiences and priorities for traditional medicine. All speakers expressed support for the new Global Strategy and WHO’s efforts to expand the evidence base for traditional medicine, emphasizing its potential to counter misconceptions and secure political and financial backing for its safe and effective use, including in partnership with the private sector.
Several participants also underscored the importance of elevating traditional knowledge to foster a sense of harmony and well-being for both people and the planet, stressing the need to respect the voices and rights of Indigenous Peoples and protect biodiversity.
Looking ahead, Member States expressed their commitment to participating in the December 2025 WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit. They also proposed creating a roadmap of pre-Summit meetings in 2025, aimed at promoting dialogue and collaboration among various stakeholder groups, including a side event on traditional medicine during the World Health Assembly in May.
