The Summit is now over, recorded sessions are available here.

Second WHO Global Summit
on Traditional Medicine

Restoring balance:
The science and practice of health and well-being

17–19 December 2025 | New Delhi, India

Discovery experience interactive
sessions.

For Non-State Actors and WHO
Member States.

Days

Hours

Minutes

Closing ceremony

Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine

The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine aimed to advance a global movement to restore balance for people and the planet, grounded in the science and practice of Traditional Medicine. It marked a major milestone in advancing global collaboration and integrating Traditional Medicine into health care systems.

3 days

769 delegates in Delhi from

107 countries

158 speakers

21 000+ online registrations

~5000 visitors to Discovery Experience

25 ministers

Introductory video for the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine

Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034

Guided by the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, the Summit:

Showcased scientific evidence and innovations in Traditional Medicine

Addressed regulation, integration and policy frameworks

Promoted respectful knowledge exchange with Indigenous Peoples

Highlighted biodiversity conservation and intellectual property rights

Explored the role of frontier technologies in advancing integrative health

The Summit concluded with the Delhi Declaration, concrete commitments, new collaborations and global initiatives aimed at strengthening safe, effective and equitable Traditional Medicine worldwide

Summit outcomes and commitments

The Delhi Declaration on Traditional Medicine: Outcomes of the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine

Member States pledged commitments at the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine

Agenda

Please note that all timings are in IST.

*Please note that all timings are in IST.

Morning

Registration (at Summit hotels and hall); site visits

TIME

SESSION

TOPIC

2:00–3:30 PM

Opening ceremony

Monalisa Dash

Sibi George

Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

HE Prataprao Ganaprao Jadhav

Rini Simon Khanna

Dr Rajesh Kotecha

Dr Shyama Kuruvilla

Professor Huang Luqi

Professor Motlalepula G. Matsabisa

Rodrigo Eduardo Paillalef Monnard

Dr Pakishe Aaron Motsoaledi

Dr Goh Cheng Soon

3:30–4:45 PM

Plenary 1

Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being

This plenary session will open the technical deliberations of the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, framing the Summit’s theme of “Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being”. This opening plenary sets the stage by examining why imbalances in knowledge, access, governance and planetary health persist and what restoring balance could mean for societies today. Global leaders and experts will share bold perspectives on how diverse knowledge systems, scientific rigour, equitable governance, biodiversity stewardship and Indigenous rights contribute to restoring balance. The plenary also introduces emerging ideas for coordinated global action, including proposals such as a Global Consortium on Traditional Medicine and Innovation to support implementation of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034. It is a key moment to emphasize that restoring balance is not only a philosophical ideal but an urgent necessity for global health, justice, ecological resilience and planetary survival. The narratives that emerge will resonate across the Summit and inform subsequent policy deliberations and public discourse.

Dr Rajesh Kotecha

Professor Huang Luqi

Professor Motlalepula G. Matsabisa

Rutendo Lerato Ngara

Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala

Dr Nicole Redvers

Sione Tu’itahi

Session technical brief

4:45-5:15 PM

Refreshments

5:15–6:30 PM

Parallel 1.A

Traditional Medicine and the continuum of knowledge in health

This parallel session explores the role of Traditional Medicine within the broader continuum of health knowledge – examining how such knowledge has evolved and continues to evolve over time and how equitable, non-exploitative access to it might be strengthened. The session will look at Traditional Medicine as a diverse, living system that continues to adapt in relation to biomedicine. The session will explore the barriers and enablers to recognizing plural evidence models, consider what traditional health knowledge might mean when viewed through both ancestral and contemporary lenses, and trace how certain knowledge systems came to dominate global health while others were marginalized. As importantly, the session will consider how technology and innovation can be used to restore and expand access to diverse knowledge systems and reflect on how digitization and other tools can support the acknowledgement and encouragement of Traditional Medicine knowledge without promoting its assimilation or appropriation.

Dr Chika Esiobu

Dr Andrés de Francisco

Professor Rama Jayasundar

Dr Unnikrishnan Payyappallimana

Dr Viswajanani Sattigeri

Dr João Paulo Souza

Dr Paul U. Unschuld

Dr Zhen Yan

Session technical brief

Parallel 1.B

Traditional Medicine knowledge – balancing access and benefit-sharing

This parallel session aims to facilitate dialogue on equitable, legal, social and ethical frameworks for accessing and utilizing Traditional Medicine knowledge (TMK). It will examine critical questions such as who controls TMK, who benefits from it and who is left behind. Participants will explore historical and contemporary drivers of imbalance in access and benefit-sharing (ABS) – from colonization and commodification to intellectual property regimes and inequitable global markets, while identifying examples of fair benefit-sharing and equitable governance from around the world that illustrate both the harms of exclusion and the promise of equitable sharing. Panellists will reflect on power, rights and justice in the governance of knowledge, and propose strategies that ensure reward for knowledge holders, practitioners and communities. The session will also examine what could have been possible if such imbalances had not existed, and how pathways of restitution, recognition and fair benefit-sharing can be created.

Dr Aunkh H. Chabalala

Dr Ann Edillon

Dr Vivian Tatiana Camacho Hinojosa

Dr Margherita Loddoni

James Love

Professor Mmamosheledi Mamza E Mothibe (nee’ Madiba)

Emmanuel Sackey

Dr Yahaya Hills Kagali Sekagya

Session technical brief

Parallel 1.C

Healthy ecosystems, healthy futures through Traditional Medicine

This parallel session is interested in the role of Traditional Medicine and traditional understandings of health, well-being and healing in ecosystem stewardship, with an aim towards understanding how Traditional Medicine can contribute to the restoration of human–ecosystem balance. The session seeks to explore the foundations of human–ecosystem balance, disruptions to and gaps in this balance, current contributions and innovations to improve balance, and pathways for future action. The session will solicit viewpoints from speakers who work from within existing frameworks for holistic human and planetary health and well-being, including Planetary Health, One Health and Indigenous and other traditional knowledge paradigms.

Helmy Abouleish

Dr Alana Gall

Dr Maria Rosenda Camey Huz

Dr Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka

Dr Payal Kumar

Dr Beth Anne Pratt

Dr Abdul Qayum

Yani Saloh

Prof Dr Georg Seifert

Session technical brief

Parallel 1.D

Traditional Medicine – bringing balance to governance, equity and resources

This parallel session seeks to analyse governance models, equity-focused policies and resource allocation strategies for Traditional Medicine integration, as well as showcase innovative mechanisms and equity-driven reforms to scale the sustainability of Traditional Medicine.

Dr Jenan Taher Al-Juboori

Dr Adi Al-Nuseirat

Dr Diadelis Remirez Figueredo

Dr Ossy Kasilo

Dr Jaspal Kaur

Professor Rokia Sanogo

Dr Tido von Schoen-Angerer

Session technical brief

7:00–8:00 PM

Traditional Medicine Discovery Experience opening and refreshments

TIME

SESSION

TOPIC

9:00–10:15 AM

Plenary 2

Investing in science to drive Traditional Medicine progress

This plenary session will emphasize the critical role of science, sustained investment and innovation in advancing Traditional Medicine as a foundation of people- and planet-centred health. It will highlight how rigorous research, methodological harmonization, strategic financing and innovation ecosystems can elevate Traditional Medicine to an evidence-driven global health movement. By linking resource mobilization, scientific collaboration and resilient health systems, the session aims to rally global commitment to implement the Global Traditional Medicine Research Agenda and accelerate Traditional Medicine’s contribution to sustainable development and universal health coverage.

Professor Lisa Askie

Dr Sylvie Briand

Professor Terence Lau

Professor Dr Dennis A. Ostwald

Professor Bhushan Patwardhan

Professor John Reeder

Session technical brief

10:15–10:45 AM

Refreshments

10:45–12:00 PM

Parallel 2.A

Translating the WHO Traditional Medicine Research Roadmap into global action

This parallel session will translate key findings from the WHO Traditional Medicine Research Roadmap into actionable insights that support the implementation of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034. The session aims to strengthen the global research ecosystem for Traditional Medicine by addressing complexity, codification and capacity-building through regionally diverse case studies and expert presentations. It will explore how Traditional Medicine research can align with the Sustainable Development Goals, support people-centred and culturally responsive care, and contribute to health system integration and economic evaluation. Through a moderated panel discussion, the session will foster cross-sector dialogue and global collaboration, empowering researchers, policy-makers and communities to co-design inclusive, sustainable and impactful research agendas.

Professor Rabinarayan Acharya

Distinguished Professor Jon Adams

Dr Rania Afifi

Dr Diana De Carvalho

Associate Professor Amie Steel

Eng. Anke Weisheit

Dr Arman Zargaran

Session technical brief

Parallel 2.B

Research methodologies and applications

This parallel session will examine methodological frameworks and innovative research approaches that are paradigmatically aligned with Traditional Medicine systems of knowledge and practice. It will cover conventional and innovative methods and strategies across a range of research paradigms. This encompasses rigorous and real-world focused clinical trials (including multimodal and whole systems designs with dual Traditional Medicine and biomedical diagnoses); transdisciplinary preclinical designs focused on complexity and synergy; social science and implementation studies using a range of theoretical approaches; and groundbreaking decolonial Indigenous methodologies. Discussions will address barriers and enablers for research production and application, as well as ethical considerations and strategies to combat misinformation. The session aims to equip researchers, practitioners, decision-makers and other interest-holders with robust, culturally appropriate and scientifically credible inquiry methods, as well as effective modes of translating evidence in policy and practice. This session aligns with Strategic Objective 1 of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.

Professor Bagele Chilisa

Dr Daniel F. Gallego-Perez

Associate Professor Nadine Ijaz

Dr Tanja Kuchenmüller

Professor Sandy Oliver

Professor P. Rammanohar

Dr L. Susan Wieland

Professor Susan Wieland

Dr Phoebe Zho

Session technical brief

Parallel 2.C

The science of well-being – evidence from Traditional Medicine

This parallel session explores how Traditional Medicine contributes to well-being across the life course, with evidence on mental health, pain management, cancer care, self-care, antibiotic resistance and personalized strategies for healthy lifespans. It examines mechanisms linking Traditional Medicine practices and Indigenous wisdom with biomedical frontiers. The session aims to showcase practical applications, promote informed and safe health choices, and identify policy pathways for scaling access and ensuring equity. Ultimately, it positions the science of well-being as a bridge between ancient knowledge and innovation, demonstrating how Traditional Medicine can strengthen individuals, communities and health systems globally. Expected outputs include actionable recommendations for research priorities, policy pathways and collaborative mechanisms that position Traditional Medicine as a credible and equitable contributor to global well-being and health system resilience.

Professor Felicity Bishop

Dr Mona Duggal

Professor Tinashe Dune

Dévora Kestel

Dr Elena J. Ladas

Dr Bhavana Prasher

Professor Mariana Cabral Schveitzer

Dr Esther van der Werf

Session technical brief

Parallel 2.D

From innovation to investment – building the Traditional Medicine pipeline for scale and equity

This parallel session explores the concept of innovation within Traditional Medicine and how innovations can move from local practice to global impact. It tackles the innovation-to-investment continuum for Traditional Medicine, examining whether and why innovation is necessary, how ideas become validated solutions, how to design fair and rigorous criteria for evaluating innovations, and how to mobilize investments that can be scaled up to improve access and universal health coverage for both health and economic returns. With a focus on governance, equity and scale, the discussion will highlight pathways to transform Traditional Medicine’s potential into sustainable health solutions for all.

Aditya Burman

Professor Dennis Chang

Professor Anil K Gupta

Kym Hamilton

Biju Jacob

Dr. Biju Jacob

Dr Robert Fraser Terry

Session technical brief

Parallel 2.E

Impact of meditation on health – restoring balance from individual to social and ecological well-being

This parallel session aims to advance global understanding of the scientific and practical value of meditation as a key component of health and well-being. It will synthesize the latest neuroscientific, clinical and public health evidence on meditation; explore its impact on mental, physical and social well-being across the life course; and highlight opportunities to integrate meditation into policy, practice and education. By bringing together researchers, policy-makers and practitioners, the session will identify pathways for institutionalizing meditation within national health systems, community programmes, workplaces and schools. It will promote informed recommendations for policy integration, strengthen cross-sector collaboration and identify research and practice gaps to guide future investment, innovation and partnerships in this evolving field.

Professor Dr Holger Cramer

Dr Marcelo Demarzo

Dr Olga Klimecki

Associate Professor Sara Lazar

Penny Low

Dr Gururaj Mutalik

Dr Thidar Pyone

Session technical brief

12:00–12:45 PM

Traditional Medicine Discovery Experience

12:45–1:45 PM

Lunch

1:45–3:00 PM

Plenary 3

Re-imagining health systems for balance, safety and resilience

This plenary session will introduce the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 and outline its vision and priorities for advancing integration of Traditional Medicine into health systems in ways that are safe, efficient and inclusive, building on WHO’s conceptual tools and guidance. The proceedings will highlight regional and country experiences, particularly from South-East Asia and the Western Pacific, showcasing how Traditional Medicine is being incorporated into primary health care, supported by policy and legislative advances that drive integration at the national level. It will underscore the importance of robust regulatory frameworks and governance, including the role of the International Regulatory Cooperation for Herbal Medicines (IRCH) network in strengthening safety, quality and harmonization across countries.

Dr Heather Boon

Prof Sachin Chaturvedi

Dr Anchalee Chuthaputti

Dr Neil Gower

Dr Adham Ismail

Dr Sung Chol Kim

Dr Goh Cheng Soon

Session technical brief

3:00–3:50 PM

Refreshments

3:50–5:15 PM

Parallel 3.A

Global frameworks and country implementation

This parallel session aims to deepen understanding of the diverse pathways for integrating Traditional Medicine into national health systems, as set out in a new WHO conceptual framework. By examining four distinct models – people-led, practitioner-led, coordinated and blended – the session will provide a comparative lens to explore how decentralized and centralized approaches can strengthen health service delivery, governance, financing and workforce development. Through case examples and cross-country insights, participants will gain practical perspectives on how integration models can advance universal health coverage, respond to people’s health-seeking behaviours, and contribute to resilient, inclusive and sustainable health systems that embody the conference theme of restoring balance for people and the planet.

MUDr Abdullah Obaid Alanazi

Prof. Kerstin Andrae-Marobela

Dr Rudolf Eggers

Professor Dr Ricardo Ghelman

Professor John Hughes

Dr Mohamed Khalil

Dr Chunyu Wei

Session technical brief

Parallel 3.B

Quality, efficiency and patient safety

This parallel session aims to advance the agenda of quality and patient safety in Traditional Medicine as a foundation for its safe and effective integration into health systems. Building on WHO’s work on quality and patient safety, the discussion will highlight countries’ experiences regarding the role of education and training in strengthening practitioner competence and ethical standards; mechanisms for enhancing patient safety; and systems for accrediting Traditional Medicine health facilities. Through the exchange of international experiences, the session will identify pathways for integrating Traditional Medicine in ways that are effective, people-centred, safe and aligned with universal health coverage goals.

Professor Lyu Aiping

Nadeem Akhtar

Dr Zainab Abubakr Al-Musleh

Dr Blerta Maliqi

Susan Sheridan

Lluis Vinals Torres

Professor Kim Yong-Suk

Session technical brief

Parallel 3.C

Regulation of Traditional Medicine products

This parallel session aims to advance the global dialogue on regulatory approaches in Traditional Medicine products to ensure quality, safety, efficacy and equitable access. Building on WHO’s work in governance and standard setting, the session will highlight the role of robust regulatory frameworks in safeguarding public health, fostering trust and supporting innovation. Discussions will focus on models for regulating Traditional Medicine products; mechanisms for market authorization and post-market surveillance; and strategies for addressing challenges such as cross-border trade, digital health applications and protection of traditional knowledge. By showcasing country experiences and emerging best practices, the session will identify pathways for strengthening regulatory systems that enable responsible integration of evidence-based Traditional Medicine into national health policies, aligned with universal health coverage, the Sustainable Development Goals and the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034.

Dr Raghu Arackal

Dr Nessma El-sayed Mohammed Aly El-Nabawy

Professor Martins Emeje

Professor Yi He

Professor Michiho Ito

Professor Ikhlas Khan

Dr Anastasia Michaelina Yirenkyi

Session technical brief

Parallel 3.D

Practice, practitioners and the relevance of Traditional Medicine in health system resilience

This parallel session will focus on strengthening the foundations of Traditional Medicine integration through education, evidence-based practices and regulatory approaches that support resilient health systems. Discussions will explore models for regulating Traditional Medicine practitioners to ensure minimum standards of education and practice, promote accountability and ethical conduct, and support broader health system goals. The session will also highlight the role of education and continuous professional development in embedding evidence-based practice and fostering safe, effective and culturally responsive care. In addition, participants will examine the development and application of clinical practice guidelines that align Traditional Medicine with patient safety priorities and health system standards. A key focus will be on how evidence-based Traditional Medicine can enhance system resilience by ensuring continuity of care in routine settings while strengthening preparedness and response in times of crisis.

Dr Jayant Deopujari

Dr Dorji Gyeltshen

Professor Myeong Soo Lee

Dr Jianping Liu

Dr Agya Mahat

Dr Maël Voegeli

Session technical brief

5:15–6:15 PM

Discovery Experience

7:00–8:30 PM

Networking dinner and cultural programme

TIME

SESSION

TOPIC

9:00–10:15 AM

Plenary 4

Measuring progress and charting the way forward: Standards, data and responsible AI – from ancestral knowledge to action

This plenary session explores the concept of accountability within Traditional Medicine, recognizing its foundations in ancestral knowledge, cultural practice and community trust. Accountability provides the framework for ensuring that Traditional Medicine contributes to evidence-based, transparent and equitable health systems. It requires standardized and comparable reporting of data on Traditional Medicine and measurable information to support evidence-based decision-making, responsible, human-centred use of technology, and strong governance and active participation by state and non-state actors. It also demands respect for diverse knowledge systems, ensuring that accountability frameworks recognize plural ways of knowing and uphold cultural integrity. Additionally, accountability calls for respectful investment that values cultural heritage and ensures fair distribution of resources. By examining these interconnected dimensions, this plenary session aims to chart a collective pathway for how accountability can be institutionalized and practised across Traditional Medicine systems worldwide. It sets the stage for the parallel sessions that follow, each deepening the conversation on data, knowledge, technology and action for accountability in Traditional Medicine.

Dr. Daniel Miele Amado

Dr Michael Stanley Baker

Professor Madhulika Banerjee

Dr Kalipso Chalkidou

Dr Robert Jakob

Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge

Dr Bakhuti Shengelia

Session technical brief

10:15–10:45 AM

Refreshments

10:45–12:00 PM

Parallel 4.A

Standards, data and information systems – the foundation for progress

This parallel session explores how WHO tools enable standardized, interoperable Traditional Medicine data to strengthen measurement, accountability and governance. The session will introduce the Traditional Medicine Data Pathway, linking the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) and International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI) coding systems, the WHO Minimum Data Set for Traditional Medicine (MDS-TM-RHIS), the World Health Survey Plus (WHS+) Traditional Medicine module and Traditional Medicine health expenditure tracking to demonstrate how harmonized data can inform evidence-based policymaking and transparent resource allocation. It will also examine how this data initiative ultimately connects to the WHO Traditional Medicine Data Network (TMDN) led by the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre to showcase global value. Embodying the Summit’s theme of restoring balance, it connects scientific rigour with the holistic principles of Traditional Medicine, integrating traditional knowledge into health information systems to promote individual, societal and environmental balance.

Dr Kalpanaben Ajoodhea

Natalja Eigo

Dr Puneshwar Keshari

Nenad Friedrich Ivan Kostanjsek

Dr. Rana Lee

Dr Sajeewane Perera

Dr Amani Siyam

CG Deepthi Sumanasena

Dr Saketh Ram Thrigulla

Professor Prasad Vinjamury

Teh Li Yin

Session technical brief

Parallel 4.B

Harnessing ancestral knowledge in the digital age – equity, ethics and preservation

Dr Gustavo Rosell de Almeida

Dr Ingrid Arotoma

Dr Sumeet Goel

Rodrigo Paillalef

Professor Ritu Priya

Dr Darshan Shankar

Dr Maggie Walter

Session technical brief

Parallel 4.C

From policy to practice – responsible AI and digital innovation in Traditional Medicine

This parallel session explores how responsible, inclusive and ethical digital transformation can restore balance between technology and tradition, enhancing the quality, safety and accessibility of Traditional Medicine. Participants will examine how artificial intelligence (AI) can harmonize scientific and traditional knowledge, promote equitable access and foster people-centred innovation. The discussion will bridge policy and practice, advancing safe, evidence-based and sustainable AI-driven Traditional Medicine aligned with WHO’s global strategy for universal health coverage and innovation.

Dr Thomas Breitkreuz

Dr Tanuja Manoj Nesari

Dr Jeremy Y. Ng

Sameer Pujari

Dr Fatma Ridene

Dr Morenike Oluwatoyin Ukpong

Dr Tetsuhiro Yoshino

Dr Peng Zhang

Session technical brief

Parallel 4.D

Charting the way forward for progress with accountability

This parallel session aims to advance the operationalization of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034. Building on insights generated during the 2025 World Health Summit (WHS) dialogue on operationalizing the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy, this session focuses on defining how progress will be measured, reported and collectively advanced. Anchored in the Strategy’s four strategic objectives, it seeks to establish a shared foundation for accountability by identifying priority indicators and data structures, articulating actionable multisectoral commitments, ensuring equity and community voice in accountability design, and initiating the first reporting cycle. Together, the WHS dialogue and this session form a continuum – from identifying implementation challenges to establishing mechanisms that make the integration of Traditional Medicine trackable, transparent and globally aligned.

Professor Nelson Filice de Barros

Dr Hiba Boujnah

Dr Lakassa Essossiminam

Professor Roshanak Ghods

Tanushree Jain

Dr Tabatha Parker

Dorina Pirgari

Ranjit Anand Puranik

Dr Elio G. Rossi

Session technical brief

12:00–1:30 PM

Lunch

1:30–3:30 PM

Ministerial Segment
Ministerial Roundtable

4:30–6:00 PM

Closing ceremony

Ashwagandha: From traditional wisdom to Global Impact – Perspectives from Leading Global Experts

Ministers attending the second WHO
Global Summit on Traditional Medicine

H.E. Professor Jamoliddin Abdullo Abdullozoda

Minister of Health and Social Protection, Republic of Tajikistan

H.E. Anil Kumar Bachoo

Minister of Health and Wellness, Mauritius

H.E. Madalitso Chidumu Baloyi

Minister of Health and Sanitation, Malawi

Dr Ma. Teresa Co-Iñigo

Director General of the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care, Philippines

H.E. Aden Bare Duale EGH

Cabinet Secretary for Health, Kenya

H.E. Dr Marvin Nolan Fanny

Minister of Health, Seychelles

Dr Sudha Sharma Gautum

Minister of Health and Population, Nepal

H.E. Professor Luqi Huang

Vice Commissioner of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, China

H.E. Abdulla Nazim Ibrahim

Minister of Health, Maldives

Prataprao Ganaprao Jadhav

Minister of Ayush, Government of India

H.E. Mawlawi Noor Jalal Jalali

Minister of Public Health, Afghanistan

H.E. Dr Nalinda Jayatissa

Minister of Health and Mass Media, Sri Lanka

H.E. Atonio Rabici Lalabalavu

Minister for Health & Medical Services, Fiji

H.E. Dr Vishwa Mahadeo

Director General, Ministry of Health, Guyana

H.E. Manaouda Malachie

Minister of Public Health, Cameroon

H.E. Dr Celso Vaz do Nascimento Matos

Minister of Health, São Tomé and Príncipe

H.E. Mohamed Omary Mchengerwa

Minister of Health, United Republic of Tanzania

H.E. Dr Teyah Sackie Moore

Assistant Minister of Health for Curative Services, Liberia

H.E. Dr Aaron Motsoaledi

Minister of Health, South Africa

H.E. Sarah Cleto Rial

Minister of Health, South Sudan

H.E. Marcus H. Samo

Secretary of Health and Social Affairs, Federated States of Micronesia

H.E. Dr Rishad Seecheran

Minister in the Ministry of Health, Trinidad and Tobago

H.E. Senator Dr Jerome X. Walcott

Minister of Health and Wellness, Barbados

Meet the speakers

Please note that this is a provisional speaker list and is subject to change.

Helmy Abouleish

CEO, SEKEM

Parallel 1.C:

Professor Rabinarayan Acharya

Director General, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India

Parallel 2.A:

Professor Rabinarayan Acharya is Director General of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush, Government of India. A renowned Ayurvedic scholar with over 30 years of experience, he previously served as Dean and Director at the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda (ITRA), Jamnagar. He holds MD, PhD and DSc degrees in Ayurveda and a Postgraduate Diploma in Bioethics.
Professor Acharya has authored five books and published over 450 research articles. He serves as Chairman of the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee and is an honorary member of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre Expert Editorial Committee. Under his leadership, CCRAS has launched national research programmes such as SPARK and SMART. He has received 13 national awards, including the International Association for the Study of Traditional Asian Medicine (IASTAM) National Award.

Distinguished Professor Jon Adams

Co-Director, Australian Consortium in Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Technology Sydney

Parallel 2.A:

Distinguished Professor Jon Adams is Co-Director of the Australian Consortium in Complementary and Integrative Medicine at the University of Technology Sydney, Australia, where he is a Distinguished Professor of Public Health. He is also a Fulbright Senior Scholar and Senior Fellow at the International Primary Care Research Leadership Programme, Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
A world-leading researcher, Professor Adams focuses on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) use, practice and self-care within primary health care and public health. His research has attracted over US$ 26 million in funding. He has authored over 630 peer-reviewed publications, established and leads four international TCIM research leadership programmes and mentored over 90 early-career and mid-career researchers.

Dr Rania Afifi

Researcher, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat, Mohammed V University

Parallel 2.A:

Dr Rania Afifi is a pharmacist and PhD researcher in social accountability applied to public health at the Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat. In my PharmD thesis, she has developed practical SOPs for traditional herbal medicines, using evidence from WHO guidelines and adapting them to the Moroccan context to make remedies safer, traceable and socially responsible.
Beyond research, Dr Afifi turns ideas into action: through Erasmus+, youth networks and global health initiatives. She leads projects that empower students, connect communities and build bridges, with one ambition: to humanize health care and make it truly accountable to the people it serves.

Professor Lyu Aiping

Vice-President, Hong Kong Baptist University

Parallel 3.B:

Professor Lyu Aiping is the Vice-President (Research and Development) and Dr Kennedy Y.H. Wong Endowed Professor in Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University. He was elected as a Foreign Member of the Academia Europaea in 2022, recognizing his sustained excellence in systems medicine.

Dr Kalpanaben Ajoodhea

Medical officer, Ministry of Health and Wellness

Parallel 4.A:

Dr Kalpanaben Ajoodhea is the Senior Ayurvedic Medical Officer in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Mauritius. She has over 30 years of clinical practice experience in the field of Ayurveda in Mauritius. She obtained a Bachelor’s in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery and an MSc in Health Services Management.
Dr Ajoodhea has delivered talks, workshops and seminars to educate the public on the Ayurvedic system of medicine and adopting a healthy lifestyle across the island.
Internationally, she has actively participated in several WHO projects, such as the benchmarks for practice of Ayurveda, Unani and Panchakarma in 2019, and benchmarks for training in Ayurveda in 2020. Dr Ajoodhea has also engaged in the peer review process for three WHO standard terminologies documents for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems of medicine in 2021. She has provided her expertise through the process of the International Classification of Diseases 11th Revision (ICD-11) Module 2 on Traditional Medicine.

Now live

Summit highlights

The Summit brought together participants on-site in New Delhi, India and online, including government leaders, health practitioners, scientists and civil society from across the world.

Through high-level dialogues, technical sessions, exhibitions and immersive experiences, the Summit showcased how Traditional Medicine is contributing to more holistic, evidence-based and sustainable approaches to health, while fostering global collaboration, innovation and commitments for the future.

27 Member States making SMART commitments

1174 innovations submitted, resulting in

21 finalists

193 599 minutes viewed online

305 media articles

77 000 web visits

2.45 million social media impressions

Opening ceremony

Event photos

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks during the Closing Ceremony.

Indian Prime Minister HE Narendra Modi visits the WHO Discovery Experience during the Summit

Former WHO Regional Advisor for Traditional Medicine Dr Ossy Kasilo at Parallel Session 4.B: "Harnessing ancestral knowledge in the digital age – equity, ethics and preservation" on 19 December 2025

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and HE Prataprao Ganaprao Jadhav, Minister of Ayush, India present an award at the Closing Ceremony.

A discussion at one of the stands in the Traditional Medicine Discovery Experience.

WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the Ministerial Roundtable on 19 December 2025.

Summit 2025 report

The second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, held in New Delhi, brought together global leaders, policymakers, scientists and Indigenous practitioners from over 100 countries to advance the role of Traditional Medicine in modern health care. Anchored in the theme Restoring Balance, the Summit fostered dialogue between traditional knowledge systems and contemporary science, leading to key commitments, collaborations and policy directions for integrating evidence-based Traditional Medicine into global health systems.

Session recordings

Check out our session recordings to catch up on everything.

Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034

The Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 was adopted in May 2025 at the 78th World Health Assembly, establishing a global consensus on definitions, objectives and guiding principles.

The Strategy recognizes Traditional Medicine as a living science that contributes to universal health coverage, health equity and sustainability. It provides a global roadmap to ensure safe, effective, evidence-based and equitable integration of Traditional Medicine into health care systems, while respecting cultural diversity and Indigenous knowledge, contributing to biodiversity conservation and promoting sustainability and innovation.

Launching at the Summit

WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library

The world’s most comprehensive digital repository for Traditional Medicine with content for every WHO Member State and over 1.5 million scientific publications and other resources.

Global research priorities roadmap

Findings from regional consultations identifying research priorities and addressing evidence challenges in Traditional Medicine.

WHO Bulletin Special Issue on Traditional Medicine

A special issue of the Bulletin of the World Health Organization that explores the profound potential of Traditional Medicine.

Health Heritage
Innovations (H2I)

Showcasing 21 high-impact innovations selected from a global open call to participate in an investment matching and scale-up programme.

WHO launches its first Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine

WHO has established the Strategic and Technical Advisory Group on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (STAG-TM)

Research opportunities and
networking survey

Traditional Medicine Discovery Experience

An immersive experience at the Summit showed how ancient knowledge systems and science come together to promote holistic health.

Introductory video for the second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine

Understanding balance

Health begins with understanding: In this zone, explore how Traditional Medicine systems have taken shape across the world. It traces how knowledge systems evolved – across Asia, Africa, the Pacific Islands, Europe and the Mediterranean, and the Americas – through observation, cosmology, manuscripts and exchange to form structured approaches to health, diagnosis and treatment.   

Through texts, maps and visual narratives, discover how ideas have travelled and transformed, contributing to a collective global knowledge base. A specially commissioned introductory film and the WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library extend this exploration, connecting historical foundations with contemporary research and evidence.

Restoring balance

Understanding becomes practice: Across the five interactive labs in this zone, you learn by doing – exploring sensory diagnostics, meditation techniques, botanical knowledge, digital health tools, data pathways and emerging innovations. Each lab offers a practical opportunity for self-learning, curiosity and practical discovery of how different approaches can help you restore balance in yourself and the world around you, bridging ancient principles and contemporary methods. You also encounter the Healers’ Voices wall, sharing lived experiences and wisdom from practitioners around the world.

Sustaining balance

Practice becomes action: We all have a role to play in sustaining balance in the world around us. This zone is organized around the four main objectives of the Global Strategy for Traditional Medicine 2025-2034, adopted in 2025 by the World Health Assembly: Strengthening Evidence, Regulation, Health system integration, and Cross-sector engagement.

Explore each of these areas to support your own contributions – by learning about new innovations and scientific findings, WHO policy tools for regulation and integration, and global efforts and actions that are building a growing movement for Traditional Medicine.

Convergence

Knowledge becomes community: At the heart of the Traditional Medicine Discovery Experience, we find a space to meet, connect and reflect. Connected spaces for innovation, art and dialogue invite conversation and connection: the Restoring Balance Innovation Stage, Cinema, Photo gallery and Tea bar. Slow down and share your journey to restoring balance in your own life, work and community.

Restoring balance photo gallery

In 2025, the World Health Organization commissioned photography and video from 15 countries to show how patients, practitioners, health planners, researchers and policy-makers are bringing together centuries-old Traditional Medicine wisdom with cutting-edge science. Through this gallery, we invite you to see how communities are taking forward the objectives of the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034 – leading new research and innovations, strengthening regulation and integration, and fostering cross-sectoral engagement for greater health and well-being for all.