WHO holds first traditional medicine summit

The World Health Organization opened its first summit on traditional medicine on Thursday. The two-day WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit takes place alongside a meeting of G20 health ministers in the Indian city of Gandhinagar.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization said "Traditional medicine is as old as humanity. Throughout history, people in all countries and cultures have used traditional healers, home remedies and ancient medicine, medicinal knowledge to meet their needs for health and wellbeing." "Through this summit and the WHO Global Center for Traditional medicine, WHO is working to build the evidence and data to inform policies, standards and regulations for the safe, cost effective and equitable use of traditional medicine."

The summit follows the opening last year of a WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine, also in India's Gujarat state.