5 days ago
- Health
- United News of India
WHO recognises India's initiative in integrating AI with traditional medicine
New Delhi, July 12 (UNI) India's efforts in integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) with traditional medicine systems have been recognised by the World Health Organization (WHO) in its newly released technical brief titled 'Mapping the Application of Artificial Intelligence in Traditional Medicine.'
The document marks the first global roadmap on AI integration in traditional medicine and prominently features several Indian-led initiatives such as Ayush Grid and Ayurgenomics.
It also acknowledged India as the first country to launch a Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), reflecting its long-standing commitment to preserving and digitising traditional medicinal knowledge.
The release of the technical brief follows a proposal made by India at the WHO Global Summit on Traditional Medicine, leading to the formulation of this document.
Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ayush and Minister of State for Health & Family Welfare, Prataprao Jadhav, welcomed the recognition, noting that it reflects the deep commitment of Indian scientists and institutions.
'This underscores our alignment with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision to leverage technologies like AI to enhance the global relevance of Traditional Medicine,' he said.
Jadhav cited several flagship platforms—SAHI portal, NAMASTE portal, and the Ayush Research Portal—as examples of how India is using digital technology to both preserve and globalise its traditional medicine systems.
Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, stated that the WHO brief documents a slew of key AI-powered innovations from India, including Prakriti-based machine learning models for predictive diagnostics, AI applications for analysing pulse, tongue, and constitution types using neural networks among others.
Further, the development of artificial chemical sensors to assess traditional parameters such as Rasa (taste), Guna (quality), and Virya (potency) was highlighted as a promising technological advancement in the standardisation of traditional formulations.
The WHO brief also praised India's broader push toward digital health literacy among Ayush practitioners and efforts to build interoperable health systems that integrate traditional and allopathic medicine.
The rise of online consultations and AI-powered diagnostic tools is considered an imperative part of a holistic push to modernise and expand access to traditional healthcare services.
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