India Commits US$ 85 Million to Bolster WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Landmark Decade-Long Agreement

GENEVA — In a definitive move to cement the integration of ancestral healing practices into modern healthcare systems, the Government of India has formally committed US$ 85 million over a ten-year period, spanning from 2022 to 2032. Formalized during a high-level signing ceremony in Geneva, this substantial financial allocation is earmarked to support the programmatic framework of the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Traditional Medicine Centre, located in Jamnagar, India. This dedicated funding is designed to drive a cross-sectoral agenda aimed at fortifying the empirical foundation of traditional medicine by supplying robust data, rigorous evidence, and clear evaluations concerning its policies, clinical practices, commercial products, and public utilization on a global scale.

The recent donor agreement represents a vital component of a broader, visionary US$ 250 million total investment package pledged by India to establish and sustain the WHO Global Centre of Traditional Medicine. Initiated in 2022, this comprehensive financial support envelops the operational workplans of the Centre, the maintenance and expansion of its interim premises, and the construction of a state-of-the-art permanent facility. By underwriting these foundational elements, India’s contribution directly scales up the WHO’s institutional capacities regarding traditional medicine across multiple technical divisions and geographic regions. Furthermore, a designated portion of this monumental contribution has been intentionally integrated into the WHO’s overarching Investment Round, effectively resourcing the organization’s core programmatic work for the 2025–2028 cycle and fostering an ethos of global health solidarity.

Strategic Context and Global Health Implications

Across the globe, traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine (TCIM) serves as a primary or supplementary healthcare resource for billions of individuals. For many marginalized or rural populations, these therapies represent the most accessible—and frequently the sole available—form of health and well-being maintenance. Recognizing this reality, public health authorities increasingly view the formal incorporation of traditional practices into national health architectures as an indispensable prerequisite for achieving universal health coverage (UHC).

The strategic alignment between India and the WHO seeks to bridge the historical gap between indigenous medical wisdom and contemporary evidence-based medicine. By generating high-quality scientific data, the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre aims to demystify traditional remedies, establish rigorous safety benchmarks, and prevent the exploitation or degradation of indigenous biodiversity. The implications of this partnership extend far beyond clinical efficacy; they touch upon intellectual property rights, sustainable harvesting of medicinal plants, equitable economic returns for indigenous communities, and the cross-border harmonization of regulatory frameworks.

Chronology of the India-WHO Traditional Medicine Partnership

The formalization of the US$ 85 million decade-long funding agreement is the latest milestone in a deeply collaborative, multi-year timeline uniting the Government of India and the United Nations’ global health agency:

• March 2022: The World Health Organization and the Government of India announce the establishment of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar, Gujarat, underpinned by an overarching Indian investment pledge of US$ 250 million.
• August 2023: The inaugural WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit convenes in Gujarat, India, drawing international delegates, policymakers, and researchers. The summit culminates in the adoption of the Gujarat Declaration, a multistakeholder action agenda emphasizing rigorous science, ethics, and equitable access.
• Late 2023: India signs a supplementary five-year technical agreement to directly support the operations of the WHO Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCI) unit, facilitating the drafting of international standard benchmarks and terminologies.
• Geneva Signing Ceremony (Recent): The formalization of the US$ 85 million, ten-year donor agreement (2022–2032) to anchor the operational programming of the Jamnagar-based Centre and contribute to the broader WHO 2025–2028 Investment Round.
• May 2025 (Anticipated): The formal launch of the landmark 2025–2034 Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine at the 78th World Health Assembly.
• November 2025 (Planned): The convening of the next WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit, designed to review progress and operationalize the newly minted global strategy.

Core Operational Pillars of the Jamnagar Centre

Operating as an advanced global knowledge hub, the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre concentrates its institutional efforts across five highly interconnected core areas of work. Led by Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla as Director a.i., the Centre coordinates global research to ensure that traditional therapies are scrutinized through modern scientific methodologies.

The first core pillar focuses on research and evidence, establishing metrics for quality, safety, and efficacy. The second pillar links traditional medicine directly to primary health care and universal health coverage, ensuring that grassroots health systems can safely incorporate these modalities. The third pillar emphasizes the preservation and respectful utilization of indigenous knowledges alongside the protection of global biodiversity. The fourth pillar harnesses digital health applications, utilizing modern data systems to map traditional practices, monitor adverse events, and disseminate validated clinical guidelines. Finally, the fifth pillar anchors international cooperation through the organization of the biennial WHO Global Traditional Medicine Summit and sustained multilateral partnerships.

Official Statements and International Reactions

The announcement of the ten-year funding commitment elicited strong expressions of support from leadership across both the World Health Organization and the diplomatic corps of the Government of India.

Dr. Bruce Aylward, Assistant Director-General of the Universal Health Coverage and Life Course division at the WHO, underscored the timeliness of the initiative. "India’s commitment and leadership in expanding the evidence-based contribution of traditional medicine to the health and well-being of all people and the planet comes at an opportune moment," Dr. Aylward stated. "Traditional medicine, supported within national health systems, can allow us to reach those most often left behind. Integration of traditional practice and knowledge is critical to achieving health for all."

Highlighting the bilateral vision that brought the institution into existence, Vice Minister Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, emphasized the historical significance of the accord. "The signing of this donor agreement is a major milestone towards achieving the shared vision of Honourable Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi and WHO Director-General Tedros for the development of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre at Jamnagar in India," remarked Secretary Kotecha.

Echoing these sentiments, Ambassador Arindam Bagchi, Permanent Representative of India to the UN and other International Organizations in Geneva, reaffirmed his nation’s steadfast dedication to global health equity. "India remains committed to supporting WHO in its work to strengthen traditional medicine systems globally for achieving universal health coverage and serving the entire humanity, especially through this Global Centre in Jamnagar, which would help focus these efforts to benefit all Member States," Ambassador Bagchi noted.

Synergies with the WHO TCI Unit and Future Outlook

The Jamnagar Centre does not operate in isolation; it works in close synergy with the WHO’s Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCI) unit. Together, these entities coordinate the WHO Technical Expert Network, which enforces a cohesive "One WHO" approach across international headquarters, regional offices, and country-level representations.

The TCI unit has been instrumental in drafting the upcoming 2025–2034 Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine, a framework requested by Member States to guide national policymaking over the next decade. By publishing standardized terminologies, clinical benchmarks, and evidence-informed technical guidance, the unit ensures that health ministries worldwide possess the empirical tools required to regulate, integrate, and monitor traditional therapies safely.

As the international community prepares for the release of the 2025–2034 strategy at the upcoming World Health Assembly, the infusion of India’s US$ 85 million endowment guarantees that the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre will maintain the financial resilience and operational autonomy necessary to fulfill its mandate. By marrying ancient empirical wisdom with contemporary scientific rigor, this landmark partnership seeks to chart a sustainable path toward comprehensive global health and wellness.