(LA JOLLA, Calif. – January 5, 2021) — The Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) has signed a cooperation agreement with the Pan American Health Organization, Regional Office of the World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO), and the Biblioteca Regional de Medicina (BIREME), to expand technical and scientific cooperation in traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine. AIHM is the world’s largest interprofessional integrative health association and a leading think tank on the value of transforming healthcare to establish a collaborative, holistic approach to health and wellness.
AIHM and PAHO/WHO will work together on projects and activities to promote primary health care, capacity building, evidence synthesis, and information dissemination, through the implementation of existing international instruments within the PAHO/WHO. These include:
- The PAHO Universal Health Strategy
- The PAHO Policy on Ethnicity and Health
- The PAHO Sustainable Health Agenda for the Americas 2018-2030
- The WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023
- The WHO Framework on People-Centered Integrated Health Services
“We are thrilled to be working with PAHO/WHO to advance holistic, integrative health throughout the Americas,” said AIHM Executive Director Tabatha Parker, ND. “When health systems include traditional, complementary and integrative health, it is a win for patients, communities and the planet.”
“This agreement is expected to greatly contribute to the collaborative development of information products and services for traditional, complementary, and integrative medicine,” said Dr. Diego Gonzalez, BIREME’s director at the agreement kick-off meeting. Such products are expected to benefit both Latin American and Caribbean countries, as well as the United States and Canada. They will also be available to the larger global community.
About AIHM
Founded in 1978, the Academy of Integrative Health and Medicine (AIHM) is the leading interprofessional organization for traditional, complementary and integrative health practitioners worldwide. In 2001, AIHM merged with the Academic Collaborative of Integrative Health (ACIH). Together, they are working to advance integrative health on a global scale and transform health and wellness through education, leadership, collaboration, research and advocacy. For more information, visit aihm.org or follow @aihmglobal on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
About PAHO/WHO
Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is the specialized international health agency for the Americas and serves as Regional Office for the Americas of the World Health Organization (WHO), the specialized health agency of the United Nations. From its Washington, D.C., headquarters, 27 country offices, and three specialized centers in the region, PAHO promotes evidence-based decision-making to improve and promote health as a driver of sustainable development. For more information, visit paho.org.
