URGENT Integrator Action: WHO’s DRAFT Primary Care Definition Lacks “Traditional”, “Complementary” or “Integrative” – Comments Due July 22!

 In Naturopathic News

For the 40-year celebration of the Ama Atta Declaration that gelled world interest in primary care, WHO is redrafting the guiding global definition of Primary Health Care. In the first comment period in April 2018, an Integrator Action led many of you to propose more inclusive language. Thank you!

Now the subsequent draft is out. It is a step backward in this area. The minimal language in the April draft on traditional and complementary medicine is gone!

This matters!

▪ A high percentage of the world’s population use traditional medicine as a part of their health care.

▪ “Integrative” and “complementary” practices are increasingly part of healthcare solutions – in areas such as chronic pain management.

▪A high percentage of the world’s population use traditional medicine as a part of their health care.

▪”Integrative” and “complementary” practices are increasingly part of healthcare solutions – in areas such as chronic pain management.

We have another chance to respond

Use the click-here (below) to view the new DRAFT document and to access the comment page. Below is a 5-10 minute strategy for being heard!

Sorry about the late notice. I was going away to a conference when the word came out. More info below. Take 5 minutes. Make a difference!

John Weeks, Publisher-Editor
The Integrator Blog News & Reports

Click here to directly access the COMMENT PAGE for the WHO DRAFT Declaration on Primary Care

Click here to address the current 2-page DRAFT document by July 22 deadline.


Node Smith, ND, is a naturopathic physician in Portland, OR and associate editor for NDNR. He has been instrumental in maintaining a firm connection to the philosophy and heritage of naturopathic medicine among the next generation of docs. He helped found the first multi-generational experiential retreat, which brings elders, alumni, and students together for a weekend camp-out where naturopathic medicine and medical philosophy are experienced in nature. Four years ago he helped found the non-profit, Association for Naturopathic ReVitalization (ANR), for which he serves as the board chairman. ANR has a mission to inspire health practitioners to embody the naturopathic principles through experiential education. Node also has a firm belief that the next era of naturopathic medicine will see a resurgence of in-patient facilities which use fasting, earthing, hydrotherapy and homeopathy to bring people back from chronic diseases of modern living; he is involved in numerous conversations and projects to bring about this vision.

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