The Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization (WHO) have signed a landmark agreement on May 24, 2025 towards elevating the global standing of traditional medicine systems. This collaboration marks the beginning of work on a dedicated Traditional Medicine module under the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI).
Highlighting the importance of this partnership during his Mann Ki Baat address, Prime Minister expressed his optimism that this initiative will facilitate the scientific and widespread reach of Ayush systems across the globe.
The ICHI, which complements WHO’s International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) by documenting treatments and health interventions, will now include a dedicated module for traditional medicine. This inclusion will bring therapies from Ayush systems like Ayurveda, Yoga, Siddha, and Unani – including Panchakarma, Yoga therapy, Unani regimens, and Siddha procedures – under globally standardized terms.
This development is expected to bring about several key benefits:
- Transparent billing and fair pricing for Ayush services.
- Smoother integration of Ayush treatments into health insurance coverage.
- Enhanced hospital management, clinical documentation, and health research related to Ayush.
- Most importantly, greater global accessibility to Ayush interventions.
This partnership aligns with India’s long-term vision of integrating its rich heritage of traditional wisdom into the mainstream global healthcare system, backed by scientific classification and international standards.
Welcoming the agreement, WHO Director-General shared on X (formerly Twitter): “Pleased to sign an agreement for a $3 million contribution from #India to @WHO’s work on traditional medicine and the International Classification of Health Interventions, with @moAyush Secretary Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha. We welcome 🇮🇳’s continued commitment to #HealthForAll.”
The combined impact of ICD-11 for diseases and the new ICHI module for interventions is poised to ensure that Ayush becomes an integral, evidence-based, and policy-recognized component of global healthcare systems. This collaboration is viewed as a transformative step towards providing affordable, accessible, and trusted healthcare solutions through India’s traditional medical knowledge.
