The initiative is rooted in the landmark Memorandum of Understanding and Donor Agreement signed between the Ministry of Ayush and WHO on May 24, 2025.
This agreement provides the foundation for developing a dedicated Traditional Medicine module within the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI), the global standard used to classify healthcare interventions worldwide.
India’s Role in Mainstreaming Ayush
India is playing a central role in this effort by providing both financial and technical support to integrate Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems into the global health classification framework.
The move is expected to help position Ayush systems within mainstream global healthcare by ensuring they are documented, evaluated and referenced using internationally accepted scientific standards.
Vision Aligned with Prime Minister’s Call
The initiative aligns closely with the vision articulated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, who has repeatedly emphasized the importance of taking Ayush systems to a global audience through scientific validation.
During his Mann Ki Baat address, the Prime Minister noted that standardized global frameworks would help Ayush systems gain international credibility and reach a wider population.
Leadership and Technical Expertise
The technical sessions were chaired by Ms. Kavita Garg, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, who is leading India’s efforts to develop National Health Intervention Codes for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani medicine.
The Indian expert team included Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General of CCRAS; Prof. N. J. Muthukumar, Director General of CCRS; and Dr. Zaheer Ahmad, Director General of CCRUM, reflecting strong institutional support for the initiative.
Global Participation from WHO Regions
The meeting saw extensive participation from all six WHO regions AFRO, AMRO, EMRO, EURO, SEARO and WPRO ensuring a truly global perspective on traditional medicine integration.
Senior officials from WHO Headquarters in Geneva led classification discussions, joined by representatives from the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre in Jamnagar and the WHO SEARO office in Delhi.
Member States Join Harmonisation Efforts
Several WHO member states, including Bhutan, Brazil, India, Iran, Malaysia, Nepal, Mauritius, South Africa, Sri Lanka, the Philippines, the United Kingdom and the United States, participated in the meeting.
These countries shared updates on their traditional medicine practices and worked toward harmonising intervention descriptions across diverse healthcare systems.
Why ICHI Integration Matters
Integrating traditional medicine into the International Classification of Health Interventions is a crucial step, as intervention coding provides a common language for healthcare procedures across countries.
Standardized codes will enable better documentation, reporting and analysis of traditional treatments, supporting clinical research, policy formulation and evidence-based decision-making.
Pathway for Global Health Systems
The WHO-led project will follow strict scientific timelines and methodologies to ensure accuracy and global acceptability.
Once implemented, the framework is expected to help scale traditional medicine within national health information systems, contributing to inclusive, safe and evidence-based healthcare worldwide.