Your Excellency, the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi Ji; Director General, WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus; Hon’ble Minister of Ayush, Shri Sarbananda Sonowal; Hon’ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya; Hon’ble Chief Minister of Gujarat, Shri Bhupendra Rajnikant Patel and other dignitaries on the dias; distinguished participants,
It is a privilege to address you today, on this historic occasion, for the first Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, which is the first major meeting to be held by the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine.
For 75 years, WHO has sought to achieve Health for All as its guiding mission. Not health for some. Not health for many. Health for All.
And not just health in a physical sense – also well-being, as emphasized in our founding Constitution.
For this, the 1978 Declaration of Alma Ata makes two critical assertions, both central to how we in the South-East Asia Region have pursued this mission.
First, that primary health care is the essential vector for achieving Health for All;
And second, that primary health care must be based on scientific and socially acceptable methods and technologies.
In other words, that safe and effective traditional medicine has a very clear, very practical place within our core objective.
Today, all countries of the Region have developed and implemented a national policy for traditional medicine.
Nine countries have established formal training and education systems for traditional medicine practitioners, and six countries have co-located traditional medicine services within their health systems.
Five countries have national essential medicine policies on traditional medicine, and the same number of countries provide financial protection for traditional medicine services.
We look forward to accelerating this agenda, in alignment with our Region-wide push to reorient health systems towards quality, accessible, affordable and comprehensive primary health care, and while leveraging the full power our new Global Centre for Traditional Medicine, hosted and supported by India.
And we also look forward to contributing to the outcomes of this Summit, which will help finalize the next WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, which will be presented to the 78th World Health Assembly in 2025 for endorsement.
Together, at this meeting and beyond, let us build the strongest evidence for the safest, most impactful outcomes.
Let us drive true inclusion for the greatest equity.
Let us explore new technologies and innovations, delivering ancient wisdom with modern tools.
Let us nurture concrete commitment for increased collaboration.
Let us act on both Astana and Alma Ata, accelerating a person-centred, holistic approach to health and well-being, for a biodiverse planet, and a healthier, more equitable and sustainable future for all.
Let us remind ourselves of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam: One earth. One family. One future.
Namaskar.