In an information release by Press Information Bureau on 14th May 2016, Ministry of AYUSH Government of India and the World Health organization (WHO) have signed an historic Project Collaboration Agreement (PCA) for cooperation on promoting the quality, safety and effectiveness of service provision in traditional and complementary medicine. The PCA agreement will become functional between 2016 and 2020. It was mentioned that the aim of the PCA agreement is to support WHO in the development and implementation of the 'WHO Traditional and Complementary Medicine Strategy: 2014-2023' and will contribute to the global promotion of traditional Indian Systems of Medicine.
A BOOST FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICINE:
The PCA further aims to deliver WHO benchmark documents for training in Yoga, for practice in Ayurveda, Unani and Panchakarma. Subsequently, these will ensure in establishing regulatory frameworks for traditional medicine products and practice and promote their integration in national healthcare systems.
The minister of AYUSH Mr. Shripad Yesso Naik highlighted the numerous initiatives undertaken to functionally integrate AYUSH in India's national health programmes and for achieving Universal Health Coverage. The Minister also mentioned the initiatives and activities undertaken in India to align with the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023. Further India's unique example for adopting pluralistic health care delivery system that allows every recognized medical system to develop and be practiced with a view to provide integrated and holistic healthcare services was quoted by the minister.
SIGNIFICANCE OF PCA
The recognition of India's rich experience in the development and governance of traditional medicine is the main significance of PCA with WHO. The agreement will pave the way for India's long-term collaboration with the WHO "in fostering the global promotion and integration of AYUSH systems of medicine including through the inclusion of Ayurveda and Unani in the International Classification of diseases and the International Classification of Health interventions".
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