WHO Highlights Traditional Medicine Integration at 2025 World Health Summit

At the 2025 World Health Summit in Berlin, traditional medicine took center stage with two dedicated sessions—the first time this has occurred. WHO’s Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 was central to the discussions, with participants exploring how to turn vision into action. 

The first session, titled “Operationalizing the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy”, focused on how countries can adopt the framework in real health systems. The second, “Integrative Medicine in Global Health”, emphasized combining traditional practices with conventional medicine to build health systems centered around people. 

Representatives from Tunisia, Germany, South Africa, Egypt, and Germany shared experiences. Tunisia, for example, established its first national center for traditional medicine and is preparing to host an Africa–China forum on the topic. 

Speakers noted that only about 1% of global health research funding currently supports traditional medicine—even though many countries recognize its value. That gap needs bridging through more scientific studies, regulation, and collaboration. 

Looking ahead, WHO will host a Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in New Delhi (17-19 December 2025). The goal is to further integration, build trust, and bring traditional medicine into national health strategies with evidence and safety at the core.