Category: Global Health & Traditional Medicine
Date: October 24, 2025
Published by: Yarima.org Editorial Health Team
The 3rd World Congress on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) was held from 15–18 October 2025 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, gathering researchers, practitioners, and policymakers from across the globe.
The event coincided with the adoption of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, marking a new decade of action to integrate traditional medicine safely and effectively into global health systems.
🌿 A Global Commitment to Integrative Health
The Congress — which also represented the 20th International Congress on TCIM Research and the 17th European Congress on Integrative Medicine — explored innovative ways to strengthen public health by combining ancient wisdom with modern science.
A message on behalf of WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized that traditional medicine plays a growing role in improving health equity and community resilience.
The WHO reaffirmed its dedication through the Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC), which “bridges traditional knowledge and modern science” by advancing research, standards, and innovation.
The statement also announced that the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine will be held in New Delhi from 17–19 December 2025, where new evidence-to-policy tools will be unveiled.
🧠 Four Objectives of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy
In a recorded address, Dr Shyama Kuruvilla, Acting Director of the GTMC, outlined the four key goals of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034:
- Strengthen the evidence base through research and data.
- Ensure quality and safety with effective regulation.
- Integrate TCIM into national health systems.
- Foster global collaboration and partnerships.
Dr Kuruvilla noted that the GTMC’s mission is to support countries in translating these principles into action and measurable health outcomes.
📚 Building the World’s Largest Traditional Medicine Library
A key highlight of the Congress was the announcement of the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library, a major digital initiative led by BIREME/PAHO/WHO.
The library — described by Dr João Paulo Souza as a tool to “facilitate collaboration, research and safe implementation of TCIM” — will host over 1.5 million records, including research papers, evidence maps, policies, and multimedia materials.
Once launched, it will become the most comprehensive digital knowledge repository for traditional and integrative medicine worldwide.
🌏 Trends and Challenges in Traditional Medicine
In his keynote, Dr Sangyoung Ahn of WHO presented data from the Third Global Survey on TCIM, showing that:
- Around two-thirds of countries report that 40–90% of their populations use traditional or complementary medicine.
- 76% of Member States said people mainly seek TCIM to manage noncommunicable diseases.
- Nearly 90% of TCIM practitioners operate in the private sector.
However, challenges remain:
- Only 1% of global health research funding goes to traditional medicine.
- Many countries lack regulatory systems for TCIM practices and products.
- There are gaps in research data and funding mechanisms to evaluate effectiveness and safety.
Dr Ahn reaffirmed WHO’s commitment to helping countries implement and monitor the Global Strategy and to develop national indicators for progress tracking.
🌿 Looking Ahead: WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine
The upcoming Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine (New Delhi, 17–19 December 2025) will explore the science and innovation shaping TCIM, showcase new research tools and products, and highlight global pledges for strengthening evidence-based traditional medicine.
Key Takeaway
The 3rd TCIM Congress marks a powerful step toward a more inclusive and integrative global health future — one where traditional and modern medicine work together to improve wellbeing for all.
Source: World Health Organization (WHO), Report from the 3rd World Congress on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine, 2025
Published by: Yarima.org Editorial Health Team