The Ministry of AYUSH organized a high-level review meeting and consultative discussion on development of International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI) and National Health Intervention Code (NHIC) for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) systems of medicine. The event was held online on May 25-26, 2026.
Following the historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and donor agreement between the Ministry of AYUSH and the World Health Organization (WHO), this initiative aims to integrate traditional medicine systems with the WHO ICHI framework. Its goal is to develop a globally standardized and scientifically robust coding vocabulary for ASU clinical interventions to enable cross-border data exchange, strengthen clinical research, and promote global health system interoperability, including insurance integration.
Chairing the meeting, Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, emphasized the strategic importance of internationally consistent intervention classifications. He said this initiative will significantly contribute to integrating traditional medicine into global health systems, strengthening documentation regulations, and enhancing interoperability in the digital health ecosystem.
Inaugural and Technical Sessions
The inaugural session began with a welcome address by Dr. N. Srikanth, Deputy Director General, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS). In her address, Dr. Kavita Jain, Joint Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, discussed the importance of standardized intervention terminology in strengthening evidence-based traditional medicine systems.
Dr. Pawan Godatwar, Technical Officer, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO) and Dr. Geeta Krishnan, Unit Head, GTMC Jamnagar also addressed the event.
Detailed technical presentations on the four-level hierarchical coding directories were given by the respective Research Councils:
- Ayurveda (NHICA): Presented by Professor Vaidya Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS
- Siddha (NHICA): Presented by Professor Dr. N.J. Muthukumar, Director General, CCRAS
- Unani (NHICAUM): Presented by Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmed, Director General, CCRAS
International experts from the WHO Data Standards and Informatics team, including WHO Technical Officer Dr. Nenad Kostanjec, discussed the future roadmap and technical requirements to align the ASU intervention classification with global health informatics standards.
The two-day meeting also included separate sessions for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani systems, which included detailed technical review and scrutiny of draft documents, as well as expert consultations. Approximately 30 scientists from the three research councils, as well as faculty members from ITRA, AIIA, NIUM, and other prestigious institutions, participated in the deliberations.
The final draft will form the basis for the upcoming WHO-ICHI ASU Alpha Draft Editorial Workshop in July 2026. (PIB)
