Regional workshop to share experience and evidence on appropriate integration of traditional medicine into national health-care systems
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3.5 Communication
WHO Member States to:
Develop ways to better communicate the strengths and
limitations of TRM to the general population, including the younger generation.
Develop ways to improve communication between allopathic
and traditional practitioners through joint activities.
WHO to:
Facilitate the development of a regional TRM network, to
exchange information and experience.
4. Summary of workshop proceedings
Inaugural session
In his welcome address, His Excellency Dr Kang Ha Guk, Minister of Public Health, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, said the workshop was an
important forum to discuss further development of TRM in the South-East Asia Region. He noted achievements of TRM in Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea, particularly in Koryo medicine – for example, in research; standardization of Koryo medicine; and having TRM services
available in all the health facilities. He emphasized the importance of integrated medical education for traditional and modern medicine. He
highlighted the role and contribution of Information Communication Technology ICTin delivering TRM services. He said Democratic People’s
Republic of Korea was committed to intercountry cooperation on TRM, and hoped the regional workshop would be an opportunity to improve the
efficacy, safety and quality of the TRM.
Dr Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director, South-East Asia Region, spoke of the long and rich heritage of TRM in the Region, and its
use by both rich and poor people. For example, Koryo TRM goes back more than 5 000 years. She mentioned that for some, TRM was still the
Report of the Regional Workshop
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only source of health care. She noted the global commitment to strengthen traditional medicine as an integral part of health systems. She emphasized
the importance of knowledge to help policy-makers frame sound national policies and regulations, and organize and manage TRM services. She
hoped that the workshop would serve as an opportunity to share regional experiences about appropriate integration of TRM into national health-care
systems, and ways to strengthen monitoring and evaluation. She reiterated WHO’s commitment to support countries to strengthen the systems and
services for TRM see Annex 1 for full text.
4.1 Session 1: Setting the scene: Recent global and regional
developments in traditional medicine
Dr Kim Sung Chol gave an overview of global and regional developments in TRM. He summarized information provided by workshop participants and
results from the Second WHO Global Survey on TRM services, practitioners and resources. He noted that the number of governments working to
integrate TRM with national health systems had increased between the first and second WHO Global Surveys on Traditional and Complementary
Medicine. Issues and challenges identified during the session were as follows:
Reliable information on number of users of TRM services
remains limited, and it is often not well disseminated.
Some degree of integration is common in many health systems in SEAR, but it is hard to judge actual levels of integration.
Effective mechanisms to regulate quality and safety of TRM
products remain a challenge. Regulating the education and training of TRM providers also continues to pose challenges.
Relatively little attention has been paid to designing health
services that facilitate the choice of the user between modern and TRM systems.
Systems for monitoring and evaluation of TRM services with
standard terminology commonly need strengthening.
Government budgets for TRM services are reported to be small, while use by the public is reported to be high.
