Govt gives nod for WHO global centre for traditional medicine in Gujarat

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the establishment of a WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (WHO GCTM) in Gujarat's Jamnagar by signing a host country agreement, the first and only global outposted centre for traditional medicine across the globe. The WHO GCTM will be established under the Ministry of AYUSH. The agreement would help position AYUSH systems across the globe and provide leadership on global health matters pertaining to traditional medicine, an official statement said.

New Delhi: The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved the establishment of a WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (WHO GCTM) in Gujarat's Jamnagar by signing a host country agreement, the first and only global outposted centre for traditional medicine across the globe. The WHO GCTM will be established under the Ministry of AYUSH. The agreement would help position AYUSH systems across the globe and provide leadership on global health matters pertaining to traditional medicine, an official statement said.

It will ensure quality, safety, efficacy, accessibility, and rational use of traditional medicine besides developing norms, standards, and guidelines in relevant technical areas, tools, and methodologies, for collecting data, undertaking analytics, and assessing impact. The Cabinet was apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Germany in December 2021. The objectives of the MoU are to enhance cooperation in the field of medical sciences/health research in areas including toxicology, neglected (Tropical) disease, rare diseases and any other areas of mutual interest.

It was also apprised of an MoU between ICMR and the Oxford University, the UK in November 2021 for capacity building for Indian scientists and researchers, collection of data compliant with international standards and regulatory requirements, development of India towards becoming a regional hub for capacity development using its own funds and following the principles of equity and sovereignty. It also aims at jointly raising and pooling funds with time-bound hosting of IDDO secretariat towards achieving the outcomes at ICMR, and building partnership in and beyond data and skill-sharing with equity and transparency. The cabinet also approved an MoU signed between ICMR and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), National Institute of Health of Department of Health and Human Services, US, in September 2021.

PTI