The World Health Organization has announced that India will donate $85 million over a ten-year period to its Global Traditional Medicine Center.

The institution, which is housed in Jamnagar, a western city in India, seeks to improve the evidence base for conventional medicine and offer information on relevant laws, customs, and public health.

The contribution is a part of a bigger $250 million commitment from India to help the center with its operations, temporary space, and construction of a permanent structure.

Regarding the significance of the donation, WHO Assistant Director-General Dr. Bruce Aylward stated, "Traditional medicine supported within national health systems can allow us to reach those most often left behind." "To achieve health for all, traditional practices and knowledge must be integrated."

Research on traditional medicine, primary care integration, indigenous knowledge preservation, digital health applications, and a biannual global summit will be the main areas of concentration for the Jamnagar center's activity.

India's UN ambassador, Arindam Bagchi, stated, "India remains committed to supporting WHO in its work to strengthen traditional medicine systems globally for achieving universal health coverage." "In particular, via this Global Center in Jamnagar."

Traditional medicine is used by billions of people globally, and India is leading the way in incorporating these methods into the country's healthcare system. In an effort to revive the nation's traditional medical knowledge, Prime Minister Narendra Modi founded the Ministry of Ayush in 2014.

The WHO agreement was praised as "a major milestone" by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary of the Ayush Ministry, who said it was in line with the goals of WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and Modi for the growth of the traditional medicine center.

Experts questioned the WHO's apparent endorsement of homoeopathy, naturopathy, and osteopathic medicine as "traditional" medicine, according to Health Policy Watch, and they cautioned against "legitimizing harmful pseudoscience."

The following congress on traditional medicine is slated for November 2025.