WHO Launches Landmark Global Library of Traditional Medicine in New Delhi

From December 17th to 19th, 2025, New Delhi, India, served as the host city for the Second World Health Organization (WHO) Global Summit on Traditional Medicine. This significant event, held at the Bharat Mandapam venue, was a joint effort between the WHO and India’s Ministry of AYUSH. The summit’s central theme, “Balancing the Balance: Science and Practice for Health and Wellbeing,” directly supported the rollout of the WHO Global Strategy on Traditional Medicine for the 2025–2034 period.

A cornerstone announcement during the summit was the official unveiling of the Traditional Medicine Global Library (TMGL). This initiative was spearheaded by the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GTMC). The TMGL is being positioned as the world’s foremost digital repository dedicated exclusively to traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine. It already boasts a substantial collection exceeding 1.6 million scientific records. The creation of this library directly addresses resolutions passed during the 2023 G20 and BRICS meetings, aiming to bridge substantial gaps in existing knowledge and research within this field.

Statistics presented at the summit underscored the urgent need for such resources. Nearly 90 percent of WHO member states reported that between 40 and 90 percent of their populations regularly utilize traditional medicine (TM) practices. Despite this widespread adoption, Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla, the acting director of the GTMC, highlighted a severe imbalance: less than one percent of global health research funding is allocated to TM. This glaring disparity between high public utilization and minimal scientific backing makes the launch of the TMGL a strategically vital move.

The summit, coupled with the library’s introduction, is intended to act as a catalyst, accelerating the implementation of the WHO’s 2025–2034 Global Strategy. This strategy emphasizes evidence-based practice, safety, integration, and cross-sectoral value. High-profile attendees included WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and WHO Chief Scientist Dr. Sylvie Briand, alongside ministers and experts representing over 100 nations. The GTMC, which is technically based in Jamnagar and benefits from substantial financial backing from India, provides the essential technical backbone for these worldwide endeavors.

Discussions throughout the event covered crucial areas, including the regulation of health systems, ensuring respectful information sharing with indigenous communities, safeguarding biodiversity, and intellectual property rights. Furthermore, the potential of cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, was explored. The timing of this event is particularly relevant given the ongoing global shortage of health services, which currently affects approximately 4.6 billion individuals worldwide. As the WHO Director-General emphasized, integrating TM with the capabilities of modern science is paramount to achieving universal health coverage that is accessible without financial strain.