WHO and Traditional Medicine Worldwide: Use, Policy and Integration
What the World Health Organization has actually said about traditional medicine: how widely it is used, its 2025 to 2034 strategy, its research gap and its caution on evidence.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Why WHO matters here
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations health agency, and it has published guidance on traditional medicine for decades. Its words are useful because they come from governments working together, but they are policy statements, not proof that any single remedy works. This page reports what WHO pages and documents said when we read them on 2026-10-22, and it keeps WHO's wording close.How widely is traditional medicine used?
WHO says 170 of its 194 Member States have reported on the use of herbal medicines, acupuncture, yoga, indigenous therapies and other systems of traditional medicine. [1] The 2019 WHO global report, based on contributions from 179 Member States, put it as 88 percent of Member States acknowledging use of traditional and complementary medicine as of 2018. [2] The report adds that the actual number of countries using it is likely to be even higher. [2]Those figures count countries that formally acknowledge use, for example through policies, laws or programmes. They do not say what share of each country's people use these approaches. WHO also notes that for millions of people, especially in remote and rural areas, traditional medicine continues to be the first choice for health and well-being. [1]
What surveys of people show
Surveys of people give a more careful picture than the often-repeated claim that 80 percent of people in Asia and Africa use traditional medicine. A WHO-linked paper points out that this statistic was first reported in 1983. [3] It analyzed 35,334 participants in the WHO Study on Global AGEing and Adult Health, surveyed in 2007 to 2010. [3] In India, 11.7 percent said traditional medicine was their most frequent source of care in the previous three years. [3] In China, Ghana, Mexico, Russia and South Africa, fewer than 3 percent said so. [3] The survey was built around older adults, so it does not describe everyone. [3]The WHO strategy for 2025 to 2034
In May 2025 the World Health Assembly adopted the WHO traditional medicine strategy for 2025 to 2034, in a decision dated 27 May 2025. [4] WHO describes the strategy as promoting integration of traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM) into health systems in ways that are evidence-based and culturally respectful. [5] Its focus areas are:- strengthening the evidence base for TCIM;
- supporting safe and effective TCIM through appropriate regulatory mechanisms;
- integrating safe and effective TCIM into health systems;
- optimizing its cross-sector value and empowering communities. [5]
Its principles include Indigenous Peoples' rights, culture and health, and WHO says the strategy recognizes the importance of protecting traditional knowledge and promoting responsible use of natural resources. [5] WHO established a Global Traditional Medicine Centre in India in 2022 as a hub for knowledge and partnerships. [1]
What the WHO figures do not tell you
| Question | What WHO's material shows | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Do governments report use? | Yes, 170 of 194 Member States | Official self-reports |
| Does a practice work? | WHO does not rule on single remedies here | Not answered |
| How many people use it? | Varies; surveys in six countries ranged widely | Limited to those surveys |
| Is it regulated? | Many laws exist; see the next page | Varies by country |
Related pages
Next, see traditional medicine in health systems for regulation, WHO reports and guidance, and what traditional healing systems are. For the evidence question, see does traditional medicine work?.Frequently asked questions
What does WHO mean by traditional medicine?
Codified or non-codified systems for healthcare and well-being, with practices, skills, knowledge and philosophies from different historical and cultural contexts, distinct from and pre-dating biomedicine. [5]
Does WHO say traditional medicine works?
WHO says rigorous scientific validation of efficacy and safety is crucial, even for medicines used for a long period. [1]
Is it true that 80 percent of people in Asia and Africa use it?
That statistic was first reported in 1983, and a WHO-linked survey found much lower use as the most frequent source of care in several countries. [3]
When was the current WHO strategy adopted?
The World Health Assembly adopted the strategy for 2025 to 2034 on 27 May 2025. [4]
How much research goes into traditional medicine?
WHO says less than 1 percent of global health research funding is currently dedicated to it. [1]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
What WHO says about evidence and safety
References
- WHO. Traditional medicine: questions and answers (28 November 2025). Read 2026-10-22.
- WHO. WHO global report on traditional and complementary medicine 2019 (data as of 2018). Read 2026-10-22.
- James PB and others. Use of traditional medicine in middle-income countries: a WHO-SAGE study. Health Policy and Planning 2016. Read 2026-10-22.
- Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly. WHA78(14): WHO traditional medicine strategy 2025-2034-en.pdf) (decision, 27 May 2025). Read 2026-10-22.
- WHO. Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (health topic page). Read 2026-10-22.