Why in News?

• The World Health Organization endorsed a protocol for testing African herbal medicines as potential treatments for the coronavirus and other epidemics.

Covid and traditional medicine

• COVID-19 has raised the issue of using traditional medicines to battle contemporary diseases, and the endorsement clearly encouraged testing with criteria similar to those      used for molecules developed by labs in Asia, Europe or the Americas.
• WHO experts endorsed a protocol for phase III clinical trials of herbal medicine for COVID-19 as well as a charter and terms of reference for the establishment of a data and safety monitoring board for herbal medicine clinical trials
• The onset of Covid-19, like the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, has highlighted the need for strengthened health systems and accelerated research and development programmes, including on traditional medicines.

Additional Details

National AYUSH Mission (NAM)

• The basic objective of NAM is to promote AYUSH medical systems through cost effective AYUSH services, strengthening of educational systems, facilitate the enforcement of quality control of Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani & Homoeopathy (ASU &H) drugs and sustainable availability of ASU & H raw-materials.
• It envisages flexibility of implementation of the programmes which will lead to substantial participation of the State Governments/UT. The NAM contemplates establishment of a National Mission as well as corresponding Missions in the State level.

Reference:

1. https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/coronavirus-who-clears-protocol-for-herbal-medicine-trials/article32655031.ece