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Is India’s WHO-backed project its magic pill in traditional medicine race with China?
- The WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Gujarat has been a boost for New Delhi which is competing with Beijing to promote the use of ancient remedies worldwide
- Experts say the initiative’s full potential can only be realised if India takes scientific efforts to establish universal standards for its traditional medicine
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India is aiming to gain an edge over China in the ancient system of medicine following the recent launch of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) in the western state of Gujarat as both neighbours vie to promote the use of indigenous therapies worldwide.
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“Traditional medicine is often the first line of treatment for millions across the world,” World Health Organization’s Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at last month’s groundbreaking ceremony for the project touted as the first global outpost for traditional medicine including Indian, Chinese, Korean, Japanese and African systems.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi also attended the event in the Gujarati city of Jamnagar where his government has pumped US$250 million into the 35-acre facility which is expected to begin operations in 2024.
Poonam Khetrapal, WHO’s Asia chief, said the hub will be a “game-changer” in harnessing the power of science to strengthen the evidence base for traditional medicine that is used by 170 of 194 members of the UN health body.
“The new facility will focus on evidence and learning, data analytics, sustainability and equity, innovation and technology to help harness the ancient wisdom and power of traditional medicine,” ANI news agency quoted her as saying.
A GTCM official said Jamnagar was a natural choice as venue for the centre as it already hosts the world’s first ayurvedic university (Gujarat Ayurveda University) as well as the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda.
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