Modi Takes World’s First Global Center for Traditional Medicine to Gujarat

NEW DELHI (IANS) – Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 19 laid the foundation stone of the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine (GCTM) in Gujarat’s Jamnagar in the presence of Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth and World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

It will be the first global center for traditional medicine.
Ghebreyesus termed the center as a truly global project as 107 WHO member countries have their country specific governmental offices which means the world will look to India for leadership in traditional medicine.

He said traditional medicines products abound globally and the center will go a long way in bringing the promise of the traditional medicine to fruition. For many regions of the world traditional medicine is the first line of treatment.

“The New Centre will focus on data, innovation and sustainability and will optimize the use of traditional medicine, he added. The centers five main areas will be research and leadership, evidence and learning, data and analytics, sustainability and equity and innovation and technology,” said Ghebreyesus.

Modi said, “it is a recognition of India’s contribution and potential in this field. India takes this partnership as a huge responsibility for serving the entire humanity.” He explained that five decades ago, the world’s first Ayurvedic University was established in Jamnagar.