WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit 2025 Delhi: India to host the 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, from 17–19 December 2025, co-hosted by the Ministry of AYUSH, focusing on integrating traditional and modern healthcare for sustainable global well-being.
2nd World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional Medicine Global Summit Scheduled in Delhi
An Emerging Focus in Global Health
The 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit is scheduled to be held from 17 to 19 December 2025 at the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India. Co-hosted by the WHO and the Ministry of Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy (Ministry of AYUSH), the summit seeks to bring together global health leaders, traditional medicine practitioners, researchers and policymakers.
Summit Objectives
The summit is aligned with the broader framework of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034. The key objectives include:
- Promoting dialogue between global health leaders on traditional and integrative medicine.
- Encouraging evidence-based research to strengthen the role of traditional medicine in health systems.
- Fostering policy actions supporting Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Key Themes and Focus Areas
The summit will deliberate upon several major themes:
Balance Within Self, Society and Environment
This sub-theme emphasizes the role of traditional medicine and practices in enhancing individual well-being, community health, as well as environmental sustainability.
Science, Innovation and Indigenous Wisdom
Here the focus is on bridging traditional knowledge systems with modern scientific research—highlighting innovations in natural remedies, therapies, digital health solutions, and ensuring collaborative linkages between researchers, practitioners and policy-makers.
Evidence‐Based Integrative Medicine
This theme advocates integrating traditional medicine with mainstream healthcare systems by strengthening scientific credibility of traditional healthcare methods, and improving access to complementary and integrative medicine for all populations.
Format and Participation
The summit will be organised in a hybrid mode—enabling both in-person and virtual participation—which expands its global reach. It is expected to draw around 7,000 participants from diverse backgrounds including health practitioners, policy makers and researchers. Formats include workshops, panel discussions and virtual interactions aimed at cross-cultural learning and sharing best practices in holistic health care.
Significance of the Summit
The event signals an increasing global recognition of traditional and integrative medicine as part of comprehensive health systems. By emphasising evidence-based approaches, policy engagement and linkages with mainstream healthcare, the summit aims to:
- Further the goal of Universal Health Coverage (UHC).
- Promote sustainability in healthcare practices.
- Integrate traditional medicine into national and global health agendas.
Key Facts at a Glance
- Event Name: 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit
- Dates: 17–19 December 2025
- Venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, India
- Theme: “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Well-being”
- Hosts: WHO and Ministry of AYUSH, India
- Participation Mode: Hybrid (in-person + virtual)
- Expected Participants: Approx. 7,000
Why This News is Important
Relevance for Government Exam Aspirants
A knowledge of global health policy events such as the 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit is highly relevant for a wide spectrum of competitive exams (e.g., banking, railways, civil services, defence) because these events reflect major shifts in health systems, policy priority areas, international cooperation, and national strategic interests. Understanding such developments boosts candidates’ awareness of contemporary policy frameworks.
Link to India’s Strategic Health Agenda
For India, hosting the summit is significant: it showcases India’s commitment through the Ministry of AYUSH to promoting traditional systems of medicine (such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Homoeopathy) as an integral part of the national health mission. Aligning traditional medicine with global health goals reinforces India’s soft power and its role in international health diplomacy.
Implications for Policy, Research and Health Systems
The summit emphasises evidence-based integrative medicine, innovation and indigenous wisdom—indicating a shift towards not just recognising, but scientifically validating and integrating traditional health systems into mainstream health frameworks. For exam-takers, this underlines the relevance of themes such as UHC, SDGs, health policy reforms, research and innovation.
Historical Context
Traditional medicine has long formed part of health systems in many countries, especially in Asia and Africa. The WHO previously released the “Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023” which guided the integration of traditional systems into national health frameworks. India’s Ministry of AYUSH, created in 2014, is a major institution for the promotion and regulation of Ayush systems.
In 2022, the first WHO Summit on Traditional Medicine was organised, setting the stage for global engagement on the subject. The current summit (2025) builds on that foundation and the newly structured WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034, signifying a more concerted drive globally to integrate traditional medicine in achieving UHC and SDGs. India hosting this summit also reflects its growing leadership role in global health governance.
Key Takeaways from “2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit Scheduled in Delhi”
| S.No | Key Takeaway |
|---|---|
| 1 | The summit will be held from 17–19 December 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, co-hosted by WHO and India’s Ministry of AYUSH. |
| 2 | The theme is “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Well-being,” emphasizing integration of traditional and modern health systems. |
| 3 | Key focus areas include: balancing individual, societal and environmental health; innovation and indigenous wisdom; evidence-based integrative medicine. |
| 4 | Expected participation of around 7,000 delegates globally in hybrid format including workshops, panels and virtual sessions. |
| 5 | The summit advances the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025-2034, aligning traditional medicine with Universal Health Coverage and Sustainable Development Goals. |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit 2025?
It is a major international event jointly organized by the World Health Organization (WHO) and India’s Ministry of AYUSH to promote dialogue, research, and policy collaboration in the field of traditional and integrative medicine.
2. When and where will the 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit be held?
The summit will be held from 17 to 19 December 2025 at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, India.
3. What is the theme of the 2025 WHO Traditional Medicine Summit?
The theme for this edition is “Restoring Balance: The Science and Practice of Health and Well-being.”
4. Why is this summit significant for India?
India, being the host nation, will showcase its traditional medical systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Yoga, and Homeopathy to the global community. It also strengthens India’s leadership in promoting traditional medicine within global health frameworks.
5. What are the main objectives of the 2nd WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit?
The summit aims to foster evidence-based integration of traditional medicine into mainstream healthcare, promote policy frameworks, and support Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
6. How many participants are expected to attend the summit?
Around 7,000 participants from across the world, including researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, are expected to participate in hybrid mode (both online and offline).
7. What are some key focus areas of the summit?
Key areas include balancing health with nature, scientific validation of traditional knowledge, innovation in integrative medicine, and sustainability in healthcare practices.
8. What is the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034?
It is a global roadmap formulated by WHO to integrate traditional and complementary medicine into national health systems through research, regulation, and capacity building.
9. How does this event align with India’s Ministry of AYUSH goals?
The summit aligns with the Ministry’s vision to mainstream AYUSH systems, promote global research collaborations, and ensure that traditional knowledge contributes to health innovation and economic development.
10. How is this topic useful for competitive exams?
This event is relevant for exams like UPSC, State PCS, SSC, Banking, Railways, and Defence as it touches upon health policy, international relations, SDGs, and India’s global role in traditional medicine—common topics in General Studies and Current Affairs sections.
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