Improving health outcomes for women: Medical pluralism may be the way to go

India has a long and rich history of traditional medicine systems, captured succinctly by the acronym AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga, Unani, Siddha, along with Homeopathy). Even as debates have raged about whether or not these traditional systems should be integrated into the biomedical mainstream, there is no denying that for a large segment of the population traditional medicine remains the first port of call to meet their health needs. According to National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) data for the year 2022-23, nearly half of India’s population—46% of the rural and 53% of the urban population—utilizes AYUSH healthcare systems. As India aims for universal health coverage by 2030, leveraging this acceptability and reach of AYUSH through its enhanced integration with mainstream healthcare systems will be crucial.

The full article on how India can effectively harness the strengths of its traditional medicine systems to achieve universal health coverage and better health outcomes for all can be found on wohla.samhita.org.