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Be it Kerala's traditional Ayurveda, or Indian yogic practices from the North India, or the ancient Japanese Kampo medicines or African herbal medicines, there is soon going to be a global hub in Gujarat's Jamnagar for all traditional alternative healing systems, with an endorsement from the World Health Organization (WHO).
On Tuesday, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth will join Prime Minister Narendra Modi for laying the foundation stone for world's first and only Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) at Jamnagar in Gujarat.
Sources in the government did not confirm about Dr Tedros meeting plans with the industry captains from India. Dr Tedros will visit the GTCM site in Jamnagar on Tuesday ahead of the foundation-stone laying ceremony scheduled for late afternoon.
Global hub
According to a statement from Prime Minister's Office, the GTCM will emerge as an international hub of global wellness. One of its kind globally, the GCTM will spread across the world, the rich heritage of ancient medicine, and social-cultural diversity of different regions.
The Gujarat Government on Monday informed that the centre will collect data relating to the analysis of the alternative medicines as well as will be helpful in conducting assessment on quality, safety, effectiveness and convenience for administration of the traditional medicines. The centre will also provide guidance on technical aspects of the medicines.
According to WHO, 170 WHO member countries have acknowledged their use of traditional and complementary medicines (T&CM) since 2018. Of these, 124 WHO members countries have already reported the presence of laws or regulations for herbal medicines as of 2018. This indicates the spread and presence of the indigenous ancient systems of healthcare in different regions and countries.
WHO has also recognised the growing trend towards adoption of T&CM in more and more countries around the world.
Covid death toll controversy
Meanwhile, Dr. Tedros' India visit coincides with the ongoing controversy around the Covid-19 death count in India. As per a report released by WHO, the actual Covid-19 death count in India is around 40 million, versus the government's official claim of 0.52 million so far.
During his visit to Gujarat, starting April 18, Dr Tedros will also attend the inaugural session of Global Ayush Investment and Innovation Summit, being held at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar starting April 20.
The Summit looks to attract investments and give a push for innovation and entrepreneurship in the areas of Ayush and alternative medicines. The Summit is expected to bring together the academicians, students, scholars and industry leaders on the same platform.
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