Rd55-13

d33REGIONAL COMMITTEE

Provisional Agenda item 10.4

Fifty-fifth Session 11-13 September 2002

SEA/RC55/13

16 July 2002

WHO STRATEGY FOR TRADITIONAL MEDICINE 2002-2005

CONTENTS

Page 1. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................1 2. DEFINITION OF TRADITIONAL MEDICINE.......................................................................1 3. TRADITIONAL MEDICINE IN THE DEVELOPED WORLD ...............................................1 4. POLICY ................................................................................................................................1 5. SAFETY, EFFICACY AND QUALITY IN THE TRADITIONAL MEDICINE STRATEGY. ......................................................................................................2 6. ACCESS ..............................................................................................................................3 7. RATIONAL USE...................................................................................................................3 8. CONCLUSION .....................................................................................................................4

1.

INTRODUCTION

The South-East Asia Region has a long history in traditional medicine (TM) as well as in its continuing use. Both at the Regional Committee as well as the Health Ministers Meeting TM has been discussed and WHO requested to assist countries in this area. Some countries have seen the Traditional Medicine sector advancing from individual practitioners in communities who have learnt through apprenticeship, to formal training of practitioners with the possibility of postgraduate training, and commercial production of the remedies. The WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy, published this year, provides a comprehensive framework for the Organization to collaborate with Member Countries. The strategy was developed