The four-day Regional Workshop on WHO Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) for Herbal Medicines, jointly organized by the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), Ministry of Ayush, and the World Health Organization – South-East Asia Regional Office (WHO-SEARO), concluded today at RRAP-Central Ayurveda Research Institute, Mumbai.

The workshop brought together 19 delegates from South-East Asian countries including Bhutan, Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Nepal, along with Indian experts. It served as a platform for training and knowledge exchange to strengthen herbal drug quality standards globally.

Across 11 technical sessions, experts from India’s herbal and pharmaceutical sector trained participants on WHO-GMP guidelines, Quality Management Systems, Good Herbal Processing Practices (GHPP), Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP), and modern quality control methods.

Delegates also visited Emami’s WHO-GMP-certified manufacturing plant and Zandu Foundation for Healthcare farms for hands-on exposure to quality practices, from cultivation to manufacturing.

Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya, DG, CCRAS, emphasized India’s commitment to promoting global acceptance of herbal medicines by combining traditional knowledge with modern quality standards. Dr. Pavan Godatwar, WHO-SEARO, highlighted India’s leadership in setting quality and safety benchmarks for herbal medicines.

The workshop marked an important step in strengthening regional cooperation and building capacity to implement WHO-GMP, GHPP, and GACP guidelines. The Ministry of Ayush, in partnership with WHO, continues to align India’s herbal drug standards with global best practices.