Inclusion of Traditional Medicine

Latest Context

In October, 2023 Central Government has sought for Ayurveda and related systems to be included in 11^th revision of World Health Organisation’s (WHO’s) International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) as Module-2.

• The traditional Indian medicine system is categorized into Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Yoga, Naturopathy, and Homoeopathy.

Module-2 of ICD

1. Aim is to put the Indian system of medicine on the world map and provide it with a common standardized language.
2. Development of Module-2 relies on implementation knowledge obtained from National Ayush Morbidity and Standardized Terminologies Electronic (NAMASTE) portal and Ayush Health Information Management System (A-HIMS).

• Notable, Previously, ICD-11 included Module-1 that covers traditional medicine conditions originating in ancient China, which is now commonly used in Japan, Korea etc.

India’s quest to update ICD-11

1. Universal Language: The ICD provides a universal language that enables healthcare professionals worldwide to share standardized information.
2. Traditional Medicine Module: The 11th revision includes a module dedicated to traditional medicine conditions, offering a standardized way to collect and report data on these conditions internationally.
3. Formal Recognition: Ayurveda and related Indian traditional healthcare systems are formally recognized and widely practised in India, making a strong case for their inclusion.
4. Chinese Medicine Inclusion: After a decade of consultations, ICD-11 included Module-1, covering traditional medicine conditions originating in ancient China.

About ICD

Established	1893, by International Statistical Institute (WHO’s predecessor)
Latest Version	ICD-11 became effective in January 2022.
Purpose	Standardized system for classifying and coding diseases, health conditions, and related information.
Authority	Developed and maintained by the WHO.
Scope	Covers a wide range of diseases, health conditions, injuries, and health-related factors.
Uses	Clinical diagnosis, health record documentation, research, health policy, and resource allocation.
Coding System	Assigns unique alphanumeric codes to each health condition for consistent recording and reporting.
Global Applicability	Internationally recognized and used for health data collection, analysis, and reporting.
Updates	Periodically updated to reflect advances in medical knowledge and changing health trends.

 

Significance of ICD-11

1. Provides a list of diagnostics categories to collect and report on traditional medicine conditions in an internationally comparable manner.
2. Link traditional medicine practices with global conventional medicine’s norms and standard development.
3. Enable integration of traditional medicine into insurance coverage and reimbursement systems, in line with WHO objectives relating to universal health coverage.

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