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REVIEW article

Front. Med.
Sec. Family Medicine and Primary Care
Volume 11 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmed.2024.1401138
This article is part of the Research Topic The Increasing Relevance of Traditional Medicine Systems for the Primary Health Care Sector and General Practice: Global Research Perspectives View all 16 articles

Promoting Planetary Health and Well-Being for all: Harnessing Indigenous Knowledges for Health with Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Health Systems

Provisionally accepted
HIBA BOUJNAH HIBA BOUJNAH *
  • Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Otto-Heubner Centre for Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine (OHC), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The concept of well-being extends beyond individual health practices to encompass a burgeoning industry focusing on healthy lifestyles and products. This trend reflects a global paradigm shift towards prioritizing the holistic well-being of individuals and the planet within socioeconomic policies. This shift underscores the integration of social, economic, and environmental considerations into policy frameworks, signaling a concerted effort towards a more sustainable and health-conscious future. The article highlights the crucial role of Indigenous Knowledges for Health (IKH) and Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Health/ Medicine (TCIH) systems in contributing to the interconnectedness between human well-being and the health of our planet through innovation, health promotion, and fair, equitable and sustainable benefit sharing. Various contemporary global problems stem from ways of thinking that prioritize the short-term economic interests of individuals or specific groups over the well-being of Peoples and the planet as a whole. In contrast, IKH and TCIH systems often inherently adopt a holistic, sustainable worldview where individual, community, and Planetary Health and well-being are intertwined, providing transformative solutions and models towards integrative health. By incorporating IKH and TCIH systems into contemporary development models, health, and medicine, we can promote health equity, improve well-being, and create a sustainable future for Peoples and the planet.

    Keywords: Health, healthcare, Indigenous knowledges, medical care, Planetary health, Primary Care, Traditional, Complementary, and Integrative Health, Traditional Medicine, Well-being

    Received: 03 Apr 2024; Accepted: 05 Jul 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 BOUJNAH. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: HIBA BOUJNAH, Department of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Otto-Heubner Centre for Paediatric and Adolescent Medicine (OHC), Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.