WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2002-2005: Chapter Five: Strategy and plan of action 2002 - 2005: 5.3 Access: Increase the availability and affordability of TM/CAM, as appropriate, with an emphasis on access for poor populations

WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy: 2002-2005
(2002; 70 pages) [French] [Spanish]

Table des matières

	Acknowledgements
	Acronyms, abbreviations and WHO Regions
	Key points: WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2002 - 2005
		What is traditional medicine?
		Widespread and growing use
		Why such broad use?
		Uncritical enthusiasm versus uninformed scepticism
		Challenges in developing TM/CAM potential
		The current role of WHO
		Framework for action
		Strategy implementation
	Chapter One: Global review
		1.1 What is traditional medicine? Towards a working definition
		1.2 Broad use and appeal
		1.3 Expenditure
		1.4 Accounting for use and increasing interest
		1.5 Responding to the popularity of TM/CAM
	Chapter Two: Challenges
		2.1 What needs to be done?
		2.2 National policies and legal framework
		2.3 Safety, efficacy, quality
		2.4 Access
		2.5 Rational use
	Chapter Three: The current role of WHO
		3.1 Developing TM/CAM and integrating it into national health care systems
		3.2 Ensuring appropriate, safe and effective use of traditional medicine
		3.3 Increasing access to TM/CAM information
	Chapter Four: International and national resources for traditional medicine
		4.1 UN Agencies
		4.2 International organizations
		4.3 Nongovernmental organizations
		4.4 Global professional associations
		4.5 International and national professional associations
		4.6 Specific initiatives
	Chapter Five: Strategy and plan of action 2002 - 2005
		5.1 Policy: Integrate TM/CAM with national health care systems, as appropriate, by developing and implementing national TM/CAM policies and programmes
		5.2 Safety, efficacy and quality: Promote the safety, efficacy and quality of TM/CAM by expanding the knowledge-base on TM/CAM, and by providing guidance on regulatory and quality assurance standards
		5.3 Access: Increase the availability and affordability of TM/CAM, as appropriate, with an emphasis on access for poor populations
		5.4 Rational use: Promote therapeutically sound use of appropriate TM/CAM by providers and consumers
	Annex One: List of WHO Collaborating Centres for Traditional Medicine
	Annex Two: Selected WHO publications and documents on traditional medicine
		National policy and monitoring
		Quality, safety and efficacy
		Rational use
		WHO Collaborating Centres for Traditional Medicine
	References
	Back Cover

5.3 Access: Increase the availability and affordability of TM/CAM, as appropriate, with an emphasis on access for poor populations

Components

• Recognition of role of TM/CAM practitioners in health care. Promote recognition of role of TM/CAM practitioners in health care by encouraging interaction and dialogue between TM/CAM practitioners and allopathic practitioners.

• Protection of medicinal plants. Promote sustainable use and cultivation of medicinal plants.

WHO strategy

Most countries that suffer from widespread malaria, HIV/AIDS and other common communicable diseases have less than US$ 15 per capita per year to spend on health. In some countries only US$ 0.75 per capita per year is available for drugs expenditure. WHO will explore the potential for using accessible and affordable TM/CAM resources to combat common communicable diseases. This will include research into the most effective herbal medicines, and encouraging governments to develop strategies for protecting wild populations of medicinal plants and sustainable cultivation of such plants. (This will contribute not only to access to health care, but also to protecting the environment and generating income.) Protection of indigenous TM knowledge relating to health and equitable sharing of its benefits will be promoted within the context of any research undertaken.

WHO will also encourage dialogue and interaction between TM/CAM practitioners and allopathic practitioners to promote recognition of the role of TM/CAM in health care provision. In developing countries it will work with TM practitioners associations and NGOs so that the role of TM practitioners in preventing and managing common communicable diseases is optimized.

Critical indicator^k

Strategy objective	Number of WHO African Member States reporting professional recognition of TM practitioners/Total number of WHO African Member States	1999 status	2005 target
African WHO Member States with professional recognition of TM practitioners	21/46	45%	60%

^k Data is available for the African region only.

Expected outcomes for 2002 - 2005

• Criteria and indicators, where possible, to measure cost-effectiveness and equitable access to TM.

• Increased provision of appropriate TM/CAM through national health services.

• Increased number of national organizations of TM providers.

• Guidelines for good agriculture practice in relation to medicinal plants.

• Sustainable use of medicinal plant resources.