Homeopathy at the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Congress
Dr Dora Pachova and Cristal Skaling Klopstock attended the WHO Traditional Medicine Congress in December in Delhi, India, as part of the EUROCAM and TCIH Coalition delegations.
Reflecting on the event, Dr Pachova described the Summit as a fantastic opportunity to communicate, exchange knowledge, and connect with a diverse and inspiring group of participants — including distinguished scientists, researchers, doctors, healers, health leaders, and policymakers. ‘The world of traditional medicine is colourful, full of life, and above all, rich in wisdom’, she noted.
She also highlighted the challenges ahead: seeing the global picture, understanding existing problems and limitations, seeking smart and flexible solutions, and remaining persistent and strong enough to protect the truth. Now is the time to celebrate our success and plan the next steps to implement the new WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, ensuring that the high-quality work of European scientists, researchers, and practitioners becomes visible to policymakers, professionals in the field of Traditional Medicine, and the wider public. Today, around 250 million people in Europe use TCIH and are expected to continue doing so in the future.
The 2nd WHO World Conference on Traditional Medicine featured engaging presentations and fostered valuable international connections. During the opening plenary, Professor John Reeder (WHO) highlighted a concerning statistic: only 1% of global research funding is currently allocated to Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Health (TCIH), and this percentage is declining despite increasing global use.
In Europe alone, up to 70% of the population has used TCIH, underlining the urgent need for governments to invest in research in Traditional Medicine. As the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy places strong emphasis on funding, EUROCAM calls on the European Commission to allocate dedicated resources to TCIH research through the Multiannual Financial Framework.
During her stay in India, Dr. Pachova, who is also an Adjunct Faculty at Shalinitai Meghe Homeopathy College and Research Center, Datta Meghe Institute of Higher Education and Research (DU), visited the Faculties of Pharmacy, Ayurveda, Modern Medicine and Homeopathy. We will report on this in the next newsletter.
Follow the link for more information about the Second WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine ‘Restoring balance: The science and practice of health and well-being’.
