Traditional medicines and their natural sources must be protected from threats such as the illegal wildlife trade to secure their role in narrowing the global health gap, scientists say.
For millions of marginalized people, traditional medicine is the only recourse to meet their primary health care needs, especially in remote and rural areas without access to formal health care systems.
The World Health Organization (WHO), which held its first Traditional Medicine Global Summit last week (August 17-18) in Gandhinagar, India, estimated that 80 percent of people in most Asian and African countries use some form of traditional medicine. Medicines for primary health care.
[SYDNEY] Traditional medicines and their natural sources must be protected from threats such as the illegal wildlife trade to secure their role in narrowing the global health gap, scientists say.
For millions of marginalized people, traditional medicine is the only recourse to meet their primary health care needs, especially in remote and rural areas without access to formal health care systems.
The World Health Organization (WHO), which held its first Traditional Medicine Global Summit last week (August 17-18) in Gandhinagar, India, estimated that 80 percent of people in most Asian and African countries use some form of traditional medicine. Medicines for primary health care.
“Developing countries do not have to look to developed countries for solutions, but instead can adopt what they already have – indigenous knowledge… based on generations of experience.”
Ritu Bharadwaj, Researcher, International Institute for Environment and Development
“Developing countries don’t have to look to developed countries for solutions, rather they can take what they already have – indigenous knowledge…based on generations of experience,” said Ritu Bharadwaj, lead researcher at the UK-based International Climate Change Research Group. Institute for Environment and Development.
“By tapping into this wisdom, particularly from the experiences of regions such as Western Santo in Vanuatu and the Okavango Delta in Botswana, we can develop strategies that are effective and contextually relevant, including traditional medicinal plants and the health of the communities that depend on them,” Bhardwaj SciDev. told Net.
Interest in traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM) is growing from both the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries, with multinational corporations moving into this space through partnerships and acquisitions.
In India, the practice of yoga and naturopathy, and the production of Ayurvedic, Unani, Siddha and homeopathic medicines and supplements is expected to reach USD 24 billion by 2023, with 84.2 million patients using them, Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ministry of AYUSH, told the WHO summit. .
