At the Sixth Meeting of the Group of Friends of Traditional Medicine (GFTM) in Geneva, India strongly advocated for the global advancement of evidence-based traditional medicine.

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH emphasized its vital contribution to Universal Health Coverage and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), particularly SDG 3: ‘Good Health and Well-being’, and SDG 17: ‘Partnerships for the Goals’.

Key Takeaways

• The GFTM, initiated by India, serves as a key platform for member states to integrate traditional medicine into national health systems.

• India showcased its initiatives and commitment through national missions, research, insurance coverage, and the application of modern technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), genomics, and bioinformatics, in traditional practices.

• A high-level GFTM event is scheduled for May 23, 2025, at the UN Palais des Nations in Geneva, during the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78), to further promote this integration and advocacy.