Global situation and WHO strategy on traditional medicine

Health systems around the world are experiencing increased levels of chronic illness, population aging and escalating health care costs.Patients and health care providers alike are demanding that health care services should be revitalized with a stronger emphasis on individualized, person-centred care.This includes expanding access to traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCI) products, practices and practitioners, in particular, in primary health care (PHC).Traditional medicine (TM) is often seen as more accessible, more affordable, and more acceptable to local populations and can therefore be a tool to help in achieving the universal health coverage (UHC). 1 There has been a continuing demand for, and popular use of, TCI worldwide.In some developing countries, native healers remain the sole or main health providers for millions of people living in rural areas.For instance, the ratio of traditional health practitioners to citizens in Africa is 1:500, whereas the ratio of medical doctors to citizens is 1:40,000.2 In the Lao People's Democratic Republic, 80% of the population live in rural areas, with each village being serviced by one or two traditional health practitioners.3 Over 100 million Europeans are currently users of TCI, with one-fifth being regular users; a similar proportion chooses healthcare that includes TCI. 4 According to a national survey in China, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine received 907 million visits from patients in 2009, which accounts for 18% of all medical visits to surveyed institutions.Further, the number of traditional Chinese medicine inpatients was 13.6 million, or 16% of the total in all hospitals surveyed.5 More and more countries are coming to accept the contribution that TCI can make to the health and well-being of individuals and the comprehensiveness of their health care systems.