The Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, organized a high-level review meeting and consultative discussions on the development of the International Classification of Health Interventions (ICHI) and National Health Intervention Codes (NHIC) for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani (ASU) systems of medicine on May 25–26, 2026, in online mode.
Following the landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and Donor Agreement between the Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization (WHO), the initiative aims to integrate traditional medicine interventions into the WHO’s ICHI framework.
Cross-border support
The objective 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 support global health system interoperability, including insurance integration.
The meeting was chaired by Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha, Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, who emphasized the strategic importance of internationally aligned intervention classifications. He stated that the initiative would significantly contribute to integrating traditional medicine into global health systems, strengthening documentation practices, and enhancing interoperability in digital health ecosystems.
The inaugural session began with welcome remarks by Dr. N. Srikanth, Deputy Director General, Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS). In her introductory remarks, Dr. Kavita Jain, Joint Secretary, Ministry of Ayush, highlighted the significance of standardized intervention terminology in strengthening evidence-based traditional medicine systems.
This was followed by addresses from representatives of the World Health Organization, including Dr. Pawan Godatwar, Technical Officer, WHO South-East Asia Regional Office (SEARO), and Dr. Geetha Krishnan, Unit Head, GTMC Jamnagar.
Coding directories
Detailed technical presentations on the four-level hierarchical coding directories for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani systems were delivered by the respective Research Councils during a high-level technical session.
The Ayurveda coding directory (NHICA) was presented by Prof. Vaidya Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General of the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS). The Siddha coding directory (NHICS) was introduced by Prof. Dr. N. J. Muthukumar, Director General of the Central Council for Research in Siddha (CCRS).
Coding systems
The Unani coding directory (NHICUM) was presented by Dr. N. Zaheer Ahmed, Director General of the Central Council for Research in Unani Medicine (CCRUM). The three Director Generals outlined the structure and implementation framework of their respective four-level hierarchical coding systems, aimed at standardizing terminology and enabling interoperability across traditional medicine databases.
International experts from the WHO Data Standards and Informatics team, including Dr. Nenad Kostanjsek, Technical Officer, WHO, deliberated on the future roadmap and technical requirements for aligning ASU intervention classifications with global health informatics standards.
Breakout sessions
The two-day meeting also included separate breakout sessions for Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani systems, facilitating detailed technical review, vetting and expert consultations on draft documents. Around 30 scientists from the three Research Councils, along with faculty members from various Ayush National Institutes such as ITRA, AIIA, NIUM and other reputed institutions, participated in the deliberations.
The finalized framework will form the basis for the upcoming WHO-ICHI ASU Alpha Draft editorial workshop scheduled for July 2026.
