New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS): A first-of-its-kind global summit on traditional medicine, being organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) and co-hosted by the Ayush Ministry, will be held on August 17-18 at Gandhinagar in Gujarat.

Director General of the WHO, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus will inaugurate the event in the presence of Minister of Health Mansukh Mandaviya and Minister of Ayush Shri Sarbananda Sonowal.

G20 Health Ministers, Regional Directors and eminent invitees from countries across WHO's six regions are expected to grace the event along with scientists, practitioners of traditional medicine, health workers and members of civil society organisations.

Addressing a press conference, Minister of State for Ayush, Munjpara Mahendrabhai said: “It is very natural that after the foundation laying ceremony of the Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar last year, we are going to witness this first global event in India. It testifies to the multi-dimensional strides taken by various traditional medicine systems of our country in the recent past.”

“By blending traditional practices with contemporary practices aided by visionary policies and digital initiatives, India has demonstrated a path for achieving universal health coverage (UHC) through traditional medicine systems," he said.

The Minister informed that the summit's outcome will be a declaration, and this declaration will assist WHO in shaping the future of WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine.