Dr Pravesh Kumar Gupta

Traditional medicine in India has a long and rich history, going back over 5,000 years. Traditional Indian medicine is known as Ayurveda, which means ‘the science of life’ in Sanskrit. The practice of Ayurveda is founded on the idea of balancing the body, mind, and spirit in order to promote health and prevent disease. To attain this balance, it employs natural therapies such as herbs, minerals, and oils, as well as lifestyle practices such as yoga and meditation.

Ayurveda has long been an element of India’s traditional knowledge. The Charaka Samhita, which was composed in the second century BCE, is one of the earliest texts on Ayurveda that is now known. In addition to providing comprehensive descriptions of hundreds of plants and their therapeutic characteristics, this literature also explains the fundamentals of Ayurveda. The Sushruta Samhita, which was composed at the same time as the Charaka Samhita, is another significant work. This text discusses numerous surgical techniques, including plastic surgery, with a focus on surgery. Ayurveda has developed and been improved upon for thousands of years by successive generations of practitioners. Beyond India, it has expanded to various regions of the world, where it is now accepted as supplementary and alternative medicine.

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Traditional Indian medicine has long been questioned despite its extensive history and widespread use. While some have expressed concerns regarding the safety and quality of some Ayurvedic products, some have contended that it lacks credible evidence to support its claims. However, many practitioners and supporters of Ayurveda continue to consider it as an important and successful health system. In traditional medicine, especially Ayurveda, India is often regarded as a world leader. In recent years, the Indian government has promoted and supported traditional medicine, including Ayurveda. In 2014, the Ministry of AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga & Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha, and Homeopathy) was created to develop and promote traditional medicine in India. The ministry also promotes research and education and regulates traditional medicine practices.

India has also become a leading exporter of traditional medicine products, including Ayurvedic medicines, herbal extracts, and essential oils. According to the Ministry of AYUSH, the global market for Ayurvedic products is expected to reach $9.7 billion by 2022, with India accounting for a significant market share.In addition, India has established collaborations with other countries to promote traditional medicine. The Ministry of AYUSH has currently signed 13 MoUs for the establishment of AYUSH academic Chairs with various foreign institutes/universities and 25 Country-to-Country MoUs for Cooperation in the Field of Traditional Medicine and Homoeopathy. Moreover, 23 MoUs for undertaking joint Research in AYUSH Systems of Medicine have also been signed.The Indian government has made sincere efforts to promote the use of traditional healthcare systems. There has also been an encouraging response from many other nations that desire to implement traditional healthcare practises in their nations.SCO member nations have warmly welcomed Indian initiatives to promote traditional medicine.

SCO and promotion of Traditional Medicine

The positive impact of traditional medicine in combating COVID-19, as well as its outstanding support for safeguarding people’s health and developing a shared community of health for mankind, is well recognised. This year, India presides over the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). One of the pillars of India’s SCO presidency is the promotion of traditional medicine among the SCO members’ states and beyond. During the SCO summit in Samarkand last year, PM Modi announced the formation of a new SCO working group on traditional medicines. He also mentioned that the World Health Organization (WHO) opened its worldwide facility for Traditional Medicines in Gujarat in April 2022, making it its first and only worldwide facility for traditional healthcare. India’s extensive expertise and experience in traditional medicine have paved the way for other countries to join the initiative. The potential for traditional medicine and integrated healthcare systems to thrive has increased as SCO expands beyond Eurasia to South, West, and SouthEast Asia.

In order to increase the use of traditional medicine and integrative healthcare systems and to foster commercial opportunities in this field, New Delhi made many tangible steps while holding the SCO presidency. The Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare organised an online conference of traditional medicine experts and practitioners from SCO member states on February 3, 2023.The event was notable because representatives from SCO member nations addressed the development of traditional medicine in their own countries while exchanging experiences and emphasising the exceptional potential for further development of this sector.

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As part of India’s SCO chairmanship, the first ‘SCO B2B Conference and Expo on Traditional Medicine’ was organized by the Ministry of Ayush in March 2023. More than 150 delegates from 17 nations attended the two-day conference and four-day expo. It also established a platform for buyers and sellers from other nations to explore trade opportunities to meet the people’s demands. An additional trade interest of over 590 crores was created during the first two days of rigorous interactions between buyers and sellers at the conference.This has shown the SCO member nations’ growing interest in promoting traditional medicine as a comprehensive healing method. Additionally, this conference and Expo highlighted the industry’s economic potential.

Further Ways to Promote Traditional Medicine

Education and awareness are among the most important ways to promote traditional medicine. Information about traditional medicine’s benefits and effectiveness can help people understand its value. Educational exchanges between SCO member countries to study traditional medicine are feasible.

Conducting joint research on traditional medicine and its effectiveness can also help promote its use. Studies can help provide evidence-based information on the safety and efficacy of traditional medicines, which can help build trust and encourage their use.

Integrating traditional medicine with modern healthcare can also help promote its use. This can involve training healthcare professionals to use traditional medicine alongside modern treatments, or creating specialized clinics that offer both traditional and modern healthcare services.

Protecting and preserving traditional knowledge can also help promote traditional medicine. This involves recognizing and respecting the cultural and intellectual property rights of traditional healers and communities, and creating policies and laws that support the preservation and promotion of traditional knowledge.

Collaboration and partnerships between traditional healers, healthcare professionals, and policymakers can also help promote traditional medicine. By working together, these groups can develop strategies and policies that support integrating and promoting traditional medicine in healthcare systems.

Overall, India has established itself as an important player in the traditional medicine sector owing to its long tradition and capability in the field, government assistance, and rising worldwide demand.SCO has offered an important platform for promoting traditional medicine with like-minded countries, which may widen the scope of spreading this healthcare system to the rest of the world.

The author is Associate Fellow (Central Asia), Vivekananda International Foundation, New Delhi.

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