HPF's ED appointed to steering committee of 2nd summit on traditional medicine
HPF’s Executive Director, Sione Tu’itahi, has been appointed to the steering committee of global experts providing strategic and technical advice for the second World Health Organization (WHO) Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, to be held in December.
The Summit, to be held from December 17–19 in New Delhi, India, will explore the theme “Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being”.
In an era of instability, the Summit will ask: How can traditional medicine restore balance?
Sione, left, with other members of the WHO advisory group, of which he was a part of, at the inaugural Summit in Gujarat, India in 2023
It will build on the success of the inaugural Summit in Gujarat, India in 2023, which laid the groundwork, offering data, technologies and insights to elevate Traditional Medicine in the global health agenda. This landmark summit aimed to explore the potential of traditional medicine for universal health coverage and resulted in the "Gujarat Declaration," a document outlining outcomes and action points for integrating traditional medicine into national health systems.
(Read more about the inaugural summit and download the Gujarat Declaration HERE)
Building on this success the 2nd summit will delve deeper into the scientific innovations shaping the field, addressing critical issues such as biodiversity protection, intellectual property rights and the transformative potential of AI.
It will also include announcements of new pledges, products and innovations.
Sione said the summit is a great opportunity to help advance this important work which is closely connected to the wellbeing of the planet and our human family, especially contributions from a planetary health and Indigenous knowledge perspective, through a health promotion lens.
Professor Motlalepula Matsabisa of South Africa, a pharmacologist with research interests in the pharmacology of traditional medicines and medicinal plants and co-chair of the Steering Committee said there is a “global movement for inclusive growth and development of traditional and complementary medicines.
“The world is realizing and recognizing the importance of traditional health practices and their contributions to overall global health," he said.
"The establishment of the WHO Steering Committee for the second WHO Traditional Medicine Global Summit has come at an opportune moment. This committee of global experts in health, health policy and traditional medicines will help steer the Global Summit to support the practical implementation of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, to ensure meaningful impact for all."
Dr Goh Cheng Soon, Director of the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Division, Ministry of Health, Malaysia and co-chair of the Steering Committee, said: "Our vision is disease prevention, early intervention and access to treatment for all – ensuring no one is left behind. As we move towards integrating traditional medicine into national health systems, we can preserve and protect traditional knowledge, religious beliefs and cultural values through ethical considerations and proper regulatory mechanisms."
The summit will feature plenary and parallel sessions, high-level events, launches of new tools, and interactive experiences that focus on the application of science, technology, innovation and knowledge exchange to validate and unlock the contribution of Traditional Medicine and Indigenous knowledge to advance planetary health and people’s health and well-being across the life course.