The TCIH Coalition, representing over 300 civil society organisations, extends its appreciation for the Gujarat Declaration and G20 New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration for their shared commitment to advancing Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Healthcare (TCIH). We particularly welcome the commitment to scale up efforts to make TCIH increasingly available to achieve health and well-being. These Declarations, released under India’s G20 presidency, signal a significant step towards the integration of TCIH into global healthcare systems and the promotion of a person-centred approach to health.
Highlighting the importance of TCIH
The Gujarat Declaration followed the inaugural World Health Organization (WHO) Traditional Medicine Global Summit, which took place on 17 and 18 August 2023, in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India. Themed “Towards Health and Well-being for All”, this event brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including health ministers, scientists, traditional medicine practitioners, healthcare professionals, and civil society representatives. The Summit provided a forum for stakeholders to exchange perspectives on global health policy development, highlighting the role of Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Healthcare (TCIH) in global healthcare, including primary healthcare.
During this inaugural Summit, the TCIH Coalition had the opportunity to provide insights, best practices, and collaborative proposals on behalf of civil society. The Gujarat Declaration, which emerged as a summary document from these discussions, sets forth ambitious goals for enhancing integration efforts, thereby harnessing the contributions of TCIH and Indigenous knowledge for health and well-being.
Global Recognition and Commitment
Recognizing the shared commitment to TCIH integration, G20 leaders acknowledged the role of TCIH in strengthening global health in the New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration, mentioned under efforts planned for achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC), and adopting a One Health approach.
The TCIH Coalition commends WHO’s and G20 leaders’ recognition of the widespread use of TCIH and its potential to contribute to broader healthcare goals. We support WHO’s commitment to strengthening global health leadership on TCIH and scaling up data collection efforts, to meet diverse healthcare needs of people. These steps represent a significant milestone for the international TCIH community, fostering collaboration among diverse stakeholders.
TCIH Coalition’s contributions
As an active participant in this dialogue, the TCIH Coalition anticipates the opportunity to continue providing civil society insights to advance this important work and remain committed to contributing to global healthcare equity and accessibility.
About the TCIH Coalition
The TCIH Coalition is a global network of civil society organisations committed to promoting traditional, complementary, and integrative healthcare as an integral part of healthcare systems. The Coalition advocates for patient-centered care, research, training, regulation, and the recognition of TCIH.
Email: info@tcih.org
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