WHO Global Atlas of Traditional, Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Text and Map Volumes

The WHO Global Atlas of Traditional, Complementary, and Alternative Medicine gives information at-a-glance on the status of this diverse and expanding field of medicine around the world. It comprises a map volume and a text volume.

Through global and regional maps and tables, the map volume provides a visual representation of topics such as the popularity of herbal/traditional medicine, Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, traditional Chinese medicine, homeopathy, acupuncture, chiropractic, osteopathy, bone-setting, spiritual therapies, and others; national legislation and traditional medicine policy; public financing; legal recognition of traditional medicine practitioners by their area of therapy; education and professional regulation; conventional health-care practitioners who are entitled to provide various traditional complementary and alternative therapies; and many other aspects.

The text volume expands and supplements the map volume through detailed accounts of the development of traditional, complementary and alternative medicine in 23 countries across the world, as well as overviews of the status in each of the six WHO Regions.

Through these two volumes, a global picture of the development of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine becomes evident, revealing people's belief in and dependence on different traditional health systems around the world.

The Atlas is an invaluable tool for policy makers, national health authorities and those with expertise and interest in the growing field of traditional, complementary, and alternative medicine. It also provides critical information for UN agencies, other international and nongovernmental organizations, and for academic and research institutions working in the field of traditional medicine.

Chin K. Ong is at University of Nottingham, Malaysia.