Ayush Ministry Elevates Traditional Medicine as Key Focus During G20 Presidency: Amitabh Kant

New Delhi played host to numerous interactions with G20 engagement groups, where stakeholders expressed a resolute stance in acknowledging the efforts of the Government of India in bringing Traditional Medicine to the forefront of G20 discussions on health. The G20 community is now poised to recognize the potential role of Traditional Medicine in addressing various health challenges faced by nations.

The interactive meeting saw the esteemed presence of Amitabh Kant, Sherpa G20, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of Ayush, Lav Agarwal, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), Abhay Thakur, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), along with chairpersons of various engagement groups and other eminent participants.

Commending the Ministry of Ayush for actively collaborating with all engagement and working groups, Amitabh Kant emphasized the importance of Ayush practices in achieving holistic health and wellbeing. He highlighted the enduring significance of "Traditional Medicine" in India, which has been an integral part of the country's health resources for centuries. Moreover, he drew attention to the establishment of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (WHO GCTM) in India, which is poised to harness the potential of Traditional Medicine on a global scale.

In his address, Lav Agarwal underscored the growing global interest in integrative and holistic health approaches, with G20 countries working in partnership and coordination. The acceptance of traditional medicine's role in the health sector is now a shared perspective among G20 nations.

The interactions have brought together experts and senior officials who have shared their experiences, culminating in the strong likelihood of the health declaration featuring a dedicated acknowledgment of the potential role of Traditional Medicine.

Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha personally commended the leadership of engagement and working groups for their valuable contributions and insightful deliberations in the area of traditional medicine. He emphasized the successful sharing of the Ministry of Ayush's contributions under India's G20 presidency, effectively highlighting traditional medicine in all health working group meetings.

Welcoming the esteemed gathering, Rahul Sharma, JS, Ministry of Ayush, highlighted the ministry's active efforts in fostering dialogue around Traditional Medicine with various G20 engagements and working groups. He stressed the pivotal role that Traditional Medicine can play in promoting global social wellness, advancing medical knowledge, and developing new treatments.

Dr. Bhavana Prasher, Senior Principal Scientist, CSIR-IGIB, highlighted Ayush's engagement with various G20 groups such as Think20, Science20, Startup20, Civil20, Women20, Youth20, and Agriculture20. The respective chairpersons of these engagement groups, operating under the purview of India's G20 presidency, discussed their coordinated efforts to leverage the G20 platform in projecting India as a driver of Global Traditional Medicine, along with recommendations to achieve this vision.