TEHRAN – The international symposium on the policy, legacy, and regulatory landscape of traditional and complementary medicine is scheduled to be held from November 21 to 23 in Tehran.

The event will provide a platform to discuss and share global experiences in the field of integrating traditional medicine into the healthcare system, the health ministry website reported.

Researchers, specialists, students, and those interested in traditional medicine will get to know the latest developments in the field by participating in the scientific event.

Training and higher education in traditional and complementary medicine; integration of traditional and complementary medicine in the health care system; and laws and regulations in standardization and provision of traditional and natural products are among the main topics of the event.

Kim Sungchol, head of the World Health Organization's Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) Unit, will attend the event.

Several other officials from around the world like Brazil, Kenya, Indonesia, the USA, and Thailand will present lectures at the event.

Health maintenance, disease prevention 

Iranian traditional medicine strongly focuses on prioritizing health maintenance and disease prevention over treatment.

It is one of the most ancient forms of traditional medicine. It is grounded in the concept of four senses of humor: phlegm (Balgham), blood (Dam), yellow bile (Safra'), and black bile (Sauda'). The concept of the four senses of humor is based on the teachings of Rhazes and Avicenna in an elaborate medical system.

So far, about 30,000 plant species have been identified in the world, with Iran's share of about 8,000 species which is more than the whole of species found in Europe.

Persian medicine experts

Around 500 Persian medicine experts are providing health and medical treatment services across the country.

More than 1,000 general practitioners who have passed the Persian medicine courses approved by the health ministry are also offering services, Mehr news agency quoted  Nafiseh Hosseini-Yekta, the director of the health ministry’s Persian medicine office, as saying.

Currently, nine faculties of Persian medicine enroll students in the country’s universities, she added.

Training Persian medicine experts has always been at the top of the Persian medicine office’s agenda. Therefore, different skill courses have been developed and held under the supervision of the health ministry.

People highly welcome traditional medicine

On January 7, Hosseini-Yekta said surveys show that more than 80 percent of people in the country intend to benefit from Iranian traditional medicine, ILNA reported.

Traditional medicine has its roots in the culture, customs, and traditions of Iranians and has always been of interest to them, the official highlighted.

With over five hundred graduates in the field and numerous research articles that have been published, the country has been able to improve its position by being ranked fourth in the production of science in the field of traditional medicine in the world, following China, India, and the United States.

MT/MG