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Dehradun, Uttarakhand, December 14, 2024 – The Ministry of Ayush and the National Institute of Indian Medical Heritage (NIIMH), Hyderabad successfully organized a two-day workshop to gather inputs for the implementation of the International Classification of Diseases, Traditional Medicine Module-2 (ICD-11 TM2), and to advance WHO International Terminologies for Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Sowa Rigpa systems of medicine. The workshop took place on December 13-14, 2024, during the 10th World Ayurveda Congress in Dehradun, Uttarakhand.
The event, aimed at streamlining traditional Indian medical terminologies and classifications, brought together distinguished dignitaries, senior officials from the Ministry of Ayush, academic leaders, and renowned experts from Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Sowa Rigpa systems of medicine.
Key Outcomes of the Workshop
The two-day deliberation led to several significant outcomes:
- A comprehensive “Roadmap for capacity building and implementation of ICD-11 TM2 in India,” ensuring the adoption of global classification systems for traditional medicine.
- A Status Report on the current implementation of terminologies, with a focus on procedure codes and a strategy for developing the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI) for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani systems.
- A Scoping Review Paper providing a preliminary assessment of the literature available for the development of Sowa Rigpa Terminologies and a plan for future actions.
- A recommendation to observe January 10th annually as “Ayush Medical Coding and Records Day” to promote awareness and systematic coding practices. The initiative will be led by CCRAS with approval from the Ministry of Ayush.
Inaugural and Technical Sessions
The inaugural session was graced by prominent leaders, including:
- Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush
- Prof. Bhushan Patwardhan, National Research Professor, Ayush
- Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal, Vice Chancellor, Kerala University of Health Sciences
- Dr. Arun Kumar Tripathi, Vice Chancellor, Uttarakhand Ayurveda University
- Dr. Jagannathan Nair, President, Board of Siddha and Sowa Rigpa, NCISM
- Dr. Koustubha Upadhyay, Advisor, Ministry of Ayush
- Dr. A. Raghu, Deputy Director General, DGHS
- Prof. Pawan Kumar Godatwar, Technical Officer, WHO SEARO
The session was moderated by Dr. Rakesh Narayanan, RO (Ayurveda), CCRAS Headquarters, New Delhi. The welcome address was delivered by Prof. Vaidya Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS, while the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Goli Penchala Prasad, Assistant Director (In-charge), NIIMH, Hyderabad.
The technical sessions, moderated by Dr. T. Saketh Ram, RO (Ayurveda), NIIMH, Hyderabad, featured contributions from eminent experts, including:
- Dr. S. Gopakumar, Registrar, Kerala University of Health Sciences
- Dr. Sujith Eranezhath, All India Institute of Ayurveda
- Dr. Rathinamala and Dr. M. Kannan, Central Council for Research in Siddha
- Dr. Usama Akram, Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine
- Dr. Kannan, Scientist, Siddha Central Research Institute, Bengaluru
- Dr. Debasis Panda, Deputy Advisor, Ministry of Ayush
International Collaboration and Day 2 Highlights
Day two of the workshop commenced with insights from international and national leaders, including:
- Vaidya Jayant Deopujari, Chairperson, NCISM
- Dr. B.S. Prasad, President, Board of Studies, NCISM
- Dr. Geetha Krishnan, Unit Head, Research and Development, WHO-GTMC, Jamnagar
- Dr. Ram Manohar, Director, ACARA, Kerala
The workshop also received valuable inputs from international delegates, including:
- Dr. Antonio Morandi and Dr. Carmen from Ayurveda Ponti, Milan, Italy
- Jorge Luis Berra, Director, Fundación de Salud Ayurveda Prema, Argentina
- Dr. Sajeewane Parera, Consultant, Department of Ayurveda, Government of Sri Lanka
- Dr. Pushpa Raj Poudel, Section Chief, Ministry of Health and Population, Government of Nepal
- Dr. Binod Dora, Ayush Chair, UTAR University, Malaysia
A dedicated session on the Scoping Review of Sowa Rigpa Terminologies was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Tashi Dawa, Professor, CHTIM, Varanasi, and Dr. Sonam Dolkar, HOD, Men-Tsee-Khang, Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh.
Special Highlights and Unveiling
The event featured enthusiastic participation from various institutes under CCRAS, including Dr. G. Babu, Director, CARI Kolkata, and Dr. Govind Reddy, Assistant Director (In-charge), CARI Mumbai. A special issue on “Ayurveda Aahar” of the Journal of Drug Research in Ayurvedic Sciences was also unveiled during the event.
Commitment to Advancing Traditional Medicine
This initiative reflects the joint commitment of WHO-CC CCRAS-NIIMH and the Ministry of Ayush to standardize and integrate traditional Indian medical systems globally. The workshop underscored collaborative efforts between India and WHO to promote evidence-based traditional medicine, ensuring its recognition and adoption worldwide.
The workshop concluded with renewed energy and a clear action plan for advancing Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Sowa Rigpa systems in alignment with international standards.
