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Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga

WHO Collaborating Centre in Traditional Medicine (Yoga) - IND 118

Ministry of Ayush, Government of India

 

Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (MDNIY), New Delhi has been designated as a WHO Collaborating Centre in Traditional Medicine (Yoga) from 5th April, 2013, with the following objectives;

  • Yoga resource center for information exchange on Yoga at national and international level.
  • Assisting and working with WHO in developing standards for promoting the rational use of Yoga.
  • Developing educational and practice materials for advocating evidence-based use of Yoga.
  • Conduct of customized training programs about the utility of Yoga in health promotion at national and international levels for health professionals and WHO fellows.

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What is WHO CC?

WHO collaborating centre is an institution designated by the Director-General of WHO to form part of an international collaborative network set up by WHO in support of its programme at the country, inter-country, regional, interregional, and global levels. In line with the WHO policy and strategy of technical cooperation, a WHO collaborating centre also participates in the strengthening of country resources, in terms of information, services, research, and training, in support of national health development.

Number of WHO CC in Traditional Medicine Worldwide: 26

 

WHO Collaborating Centres Database & Portal: https://apps.who.int/whocc/

For details please visit: https://www.who.int/about/collaboration/collaborating-centres

 

Activities of WHO CC:

Consumer information on the Proper use of Yoga:

During the last decades, the use of Yoga as complementary medicine (CM) has increased in both developing and developed countries. This required particular attention in order to avoid inadequate misunderstandings and inappropriate use that could be harmful to individuals and subsequently affect entire communities.

In view of this, MDNIY, and the WHO (South-East Asia) planned to develop technical guidelines and information on Yoga to help ensure the safety of consumers.

 

Development and dissemination of standardized health promotion Yoga modules for various target groups:

  • Children, Adolescents, Women of Reproductive age, Geriatric population, and mental health promotion.
  • These books were prepared for documentation of the practices of and standardized use of Yoga practices for the prevention and management of diseases and promotion of health of different age groups and mental health.

 

​WHO Working Group Meeting (WGM) on Benchmarks for training in Yoga

  • Support WHO in the development of WHO Benchmarks for training in Yoga. In View of supporting WHO in the development of WHO Benchmarks for Training in Yoga, Director MDNIY has been assisting WHO in drafting benchmarks for training in Yoga. This is a part of agreed activities between WHO and the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India.
  • WHO Working Group Meeting (WGM) on Benchmarks for training in Yoga, was held in New Delhi, India, from 26-28 February 2019 as part of the standard procedure for the development of the WHO technical document.
  • The activity was hosted/organized by the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India, and MDNIY (as WHO CC). Participants from all regions of WHO [AMRO/PAHO, EMRO, EURO, SEARO, and WPRO] participated in this important event.

 

Achievements

mYoga - a mobile app “Yoga Protocol for General Wellness”

Ministry of Ayush and the World Health Organization (WHO) had jointly undertaken a project, - WHO mYoga - a mobile app on “Yoga Protocol for General Wellness” in consultation with international experts.  MDNIY, and WHOCC played a pivotal role to facilitate in the preparation mYoga App.  WHO mYoga App is one of the most useful global public health entities of the Ministry of Ayush. 

The Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi launched ‘WHO mYoga’ App on the occasion of the 7th International Day of Yoga (June 21, 2021). M-Yoga app provides many videos of Yoga training and practice based on the Common Yoga Protocol in many languages.

Terming this as a great example of the fusion of modern technology and ancient science, the Prime Minister expressed the hope that mYoga app will help in spreading Yoga in the world and will contribute to the efforts of ‘One World, One Health’. 

  

 

Y Break “Yoga break at workplace” – Mobile App

  • Y Break “Yoga break at workplace” program was conceptualized by the Ministry of Ayush, Govt. of India with an aim to get De-stressed, Refreshed, and Re-Focused to increase the productivity of individuals at the workplace by practicing selected Yoga practices of 5 minutes (twice a day) time frame to accrue the benefits as projected from Yoga practice for a longer duration.
  • To assess the efficacy of the Y break protocol; it was put on 15 days trial, conducted in six leading Yoga Institutes of the country, wherein 717 participants both from different Private and Government bodies participated.
  • The results show that the Yoga break protocol can bring notable changes in the health parameters of the working population; accordingly, it should be introduced to all organizations/Institutions to improve the quality of work.
  • With a view to popularize it from a health angle, the android-based version of the Yoga Break App  has been formally launched by Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Hon'ble Union Minister of Ayush and Port, Shipping & Waterways on 1st September 2021, in the august presence of 5 Union Ministers and dignitaries at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

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Organizing International Capacity Building Workshops on Yoga for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD’s).

  • MDNIY conducted First Capacity Building Workshop on the theme “Yogic Management of Diabetes & Hypertension” on 8th - 10th December, 2014.
  • Second Capacity Building Workshop was conducted on the theme “Yogic Management of Cancer, Bronchial Asthma & Stroke” at MDNIY New Delhi from 28th- 30th November 2016.
  • “International Capacity Building Workshop- Webinar on “Yoga for Noncommunicable Disease - A Scientific Perspective” was organised in online mode from 26th to 30th April 2021 (5 days).

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The workshop is basically aimed to develop and generate trained manpower in the field of Yoga at regional and global levels, with the following objectives:

  • To provide theoretical, demonstrative, and practical training in Yoga for the management of non-communicable diseases.
  • To advocate evidence-based Yoga practices for managing noncommunicable diseases by eminent national and international Yoga experts.

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Evidence-Based Yoga Modules for NCDs

  • Bronchial Asthma
  • Hypertension
  • Diabetes Mellitus
  • Cancer
  • Stroke

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Current ongoing Activities:

  • Meta-Analysis on Yoga research in NCD’s management and health promotion- Meta-Analysis of Yoga Research from April 2021- March 2022; data collection has been commenced using Reference Manager.
  • Development of evidence-based Yoga modules and their validation for the management of Non-Communicable Diseases including management of stress
  • Developing Video training materials for Basic Yoga training, and Advanced Yoga training.
  • Supporting WHO's endeavors in developing benchmarks for training in Yoga

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