UAE Integrative Medicine Council advances global healthcare strategy
The UAE Integrative Medicine Council has unveiled four transformative commitments to support the World Health Organization's vision for traditional medicine, cementing the nation's position as a leader in evidence based integrative healthcare.
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The UAE Integrative Medicine Council has articulated a profound vision for the future of healthcare, announcing four substantive commitments aligned with the World Health Organization’s Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025 to 2034. These declarations, unveiled during the opening of the second edition of Al Shifaa Summit for Integrative Medicine in Abu Dhabi, represent a significant evolution in the nation’s approach to integrating evidence based traditional practices with contemporary medical science.
Guided by the UAE Integrative Medicine Strategy, these commitments embody a sophisticated commitment to developing a healthcare framework that honours traditional wisdom whilst maintaining the rigorous scientific standards essential to modern medicine. The approach centres upon a distinctly human centred philosophy, one that prioritises quality, safety and effectiveness across all integrative practices.
A Four Pillar Framework for Progress
The first commitment focuses upon establishing comprehensive national policies and regulatory frameworks for traditional, complementary and integrative medicine. This encompasses the development of clinical standards and evidence based guidelines designed to ensure that all practices meet the highest standards of quality and efficacy.
The second pillar addresses scientific innovation through the creation of the nation’s first national research agenda for integrative medicine. This ambitious undertaking will align national priorities with international expertise, guiding research efforts and evidence generation in accordance with the WHO strategy whilst supporting the UAE’s broader health priorities.
The third commitment concentrates upon workforce development and public education. By enhancing professional capabilities and fostering informed understanding of evidence based traditional and complementary practices, the Council seeks to cultivate both professional excellence and responsible public engagement with these modalities.
The fourth commitment extends the vision internationally, expanding knowledge exchange and collaboration with the WHO and global partners. This dedication to international cooperation positions the UAE as a contributor to the evolution of integrative medicine worldwide, whilst supporting innovation that benefits health and wellbeing across borders.
Sheikha Salama bint Tahnoon bin Mohammed Al Nahyan, Chairperson of the UAE Integrative Medicine Council, emphasised that these pledges translate national direction into tangible progress. The collaborative partnership with the World Health Organization enables the Council to bridge national priorities with international expertise, creating sustained momentum in research, standards development and professional capabilities.
This thoughtful, comprehensive approach reflects the UAE’s sophisticated understanding that the future of healthcare lies not in choosing between traditional wisdom and modern science, but in forging an elegant synthesis that honours both whilst prioritising evidence, safety and the wellbeing of those served by these practices.
Imagery courtesy of UAE Integrative Medicine Council.
