The **3rd World Congress on Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine** (TCIM) took place from **October 15 to 18, 2025**, in **Rio de Janeiro, Brazil**. This significant event highlighted the growing importance of traditional medicine in global health and coincided with the launch of the **WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034**, adopted during the **Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly** in May 2025.
The congress brought together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners from around the world to explore innovative approaches to strengthening public health through TCIM. During the opening session, a statement was delivered on behalf of **Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus**, the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO). His message underscored the role of traditional medicine in promoting health equity and resilience across populations.
Key Objectives and Future Directions
Dr. Ghebreyesus’s statement emphasized WHO’s commitment to supporting traditional medicine initiatives through the newly established **WHO Global Traditional Medicine Centre (GTMC)**. This centre aims to bridge ancient practices with modern scientific approaches by enhancing research, innovation, standards, and data. The announcement also included details about the upcoming **second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine**, scheduled for **December 17–19, 2025**, in **New Delhi, India**. This summit will introduce new tools to help countries implement evidence-based policies regarding traditional medicine.
During the congress, **Dr. Shyama Kuruvilla**, acting Director of the WHO GTMC, provided insights into the four primary objectives of the **WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy**. These goals focus on strengthening the evidence base for traditional medicine, ensuring quality and safety through regulation, facilitating integration into health systems, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders. Dr. Kuruvilla stressed the importance of translating these objectives into actionable outcomes at the national level.
On **October 17**, a panel discussion featured several WHO representatives, including **Dr. Sangyoung Ahn**, WHO Technical Officer. This session addressed the development of the **WHO Traditional Medicine Global Library**, which aims to enhance collaboration and research related to effective and safe traditional practices. Dr. **João Paulo Souza**, Director of the **Latin American and Caribbean Center on Health Sciences Information**, elaborated on how the library will serve as a comprehensive digital repository for TCIM, housing over **1.5 million records** of evidence maps, journal articles, policies, and multimedia resources.
Challenges Facing Traditional Medicine
In a keynote presentation on **October 18**, Dr. Ahn shared findings from the **Third WHO Global Survey on TCIM**, revealing significant trends and challenges. Approximately **two-thirds** of participating Member States reported that **40–90%** of their populations use some form of traditional medicine. The survey indicated that **76%** of countries noted that the primary reason for seeking TCIM was to manage noncommunicable diseases, with nearly **90%** of TCIM practitioners operating within the private sector.
Despite the critical role of traditional medicine in global health, challenges persist. Many countries expressed concerns over limited research data and a lack of funding, with only **1%** of global health research funding currently allocated to traditional practices. Additionally, the absence of regulatory mechanisms for TCIM practices, providers, and products was highlighted as a significant barrier to progress.
Dr. Ahn reaffirmed WHO’s dedication to assisting Member States in implementing the Global Traditional Medicine Strategy. This includes developing national indicators to monitor progress and effectiveness. The upcoming summit in December aims to delve deeper into the scientific foundations of traditional medicine and advance the implementation of the Global Strategy.
As the dialogue around traditional medicine continues to evolve, the commitment from global leaders and health organizations indicates a promising future for integrating these practices into mainstream health systems.
