India Becomes First Country to Digitize Traditional Medicine

With the establishment of the Traditional Knowledge Digital Library (TKDL), India has become the world's first nation to use artificial intelligence to digitize its traditional medical systems, making all information accessible online. This action marks a sea change in the way that traditional medical knowledge, such as that of Ayurveda and Unani, can be preserved, researched, and applied in the modern world.

Supported by the Indian government and the WHO, the initiative demonstrates how contemporary instruments may revitalize centuries-old customs.

What is Digitisation of Traditional Medicine?

The digitization of TKDL is a systematic attempt to guarantee that knowledge systems such as Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha, Sowa-Rigpa, and homeopathy are safeguarded against abuse, precisely researched, and used.

In a recent report, the World Health Organization (WHO) recognized the action as a significant step in the global movement to combine modern and traditional treatment.

India's traditional medicine has its origins in ancient writings, oral traditions, and palm-leaf manuscripts that date back hundreds or even thousands of years.

Why was it Needed?

There are numerous examples of foreign corporations patenting herbal compositions and therapies that have been used for a long time in Indian families without proper paperwork.

The idea of the TKDL was to address that issue.

The library offers proof that such knowledge is already in the public domain by translating and digitizing these traditional formulations in a number of languages and coding them in ways that patent offices can comprehend.

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Use of AI in Traditional Medicinal Practice

The new TKDL is unique because it makes use of artificial intelligence (AI). These days, the database employs machine learning algorithms to analyze trends, organize complex data, and identify potential connections between contemporary diseases and conventional treatments.

AI models are also being utilized to help with clinical decision-making in the long-standing Ayurvedic diagnostic techniques of tongue analysis and pulse reading.

Merging of Traditional Medicine with Technology

The WHO has highlighted a number of recent advancements, including Ayurgenomics, a new area that combines genetic science with Ayurvedic body type (prakriti) concepts.

By merging traditional health categories with DNA data, Indian scientists are attempting to customize treatment approaches.

Through the Ministry of Ayush, the Indian government has stated that the goal is to advance into fields where tradition and technology may coexist, in addition to preserving cultural legacy.

China, South Korea, Indonesia, and other nations with robust traditional medicine cultures might find value in the framework provided by India's TKDL.

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