A local resident seeks acupuncture treatment from a Chinese doctor at the Mediterranean Regional Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) in Malta. (People’s Daily/Xie Yahong)
More than 2,000 years ago, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) began to spread and gain popularity along the ancient Silk Road, becoming an important aspect of commercial and trade exchanges between China and other countries.
Currently, TCM has spread to 196 countries and regions, gaining significant influence around the world and making valuable contributions to people-to-people bonds and protecting human health and well-being.
“I am deeply impressed by the amazing effectiveness of Chinese medicine and the expertise of Chinese doctors,” said Anton Merak of the Mediterranean Regional Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM), based in Paola, Malta.
Last year, Melaku was unable to lift his arm due to an injury to his right shoulder and immediately sought treatment at the center. After about six months of acupuncture and massage therapy, his condition improved significantly.
“I first underwent TCM treatment in 1996 when I was suffering from severe migraines, and it proved to be really effective,” Melak said.
In Malta, MRCTCM is a renowned institution for TCM treatment and training. In 2008, we opened the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Mater Dei Hospital, Malta’s state-run acute general hospital, making it the first time that a Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine has been accredited as an independent department in a state hospital in the European Union (EU).
Since 1993, the Chinese government has sent 19 medical teams to Malta, treating approximately 250,000 patients.
Photo: Cambodia-China Friendship Preah Kossamak Hospital. (People’s Daily/Liu Hui)
China’s overseas medical assistance began more than 60 years ago, and Chinese medicine has played an important role in these efforts.
Acupuncture is one of the longest-running branches in the history of Chinese medical aid to Algeria. At the Cambodia-China Friendship Preah Kossamak Hospital, long lines of patients often form at the traditional Chinese medicine clinic opened by a Chinese medical team. Traditional Chinese medicine treatments are popular in Kuwait, and there are also groups of enthusiasts of traditional Chinese gymnastics such as Tai Chi and Ba Duan Quan. In Guyana, Chinese medical teams are providing acupuncture to tens of thousands of patients and promoting TCM courses such as acupuncture and massage in local schools.
In recent years, China has deepened its cooperation in traditional Chinese medicine education with multiple countries.
Since its formal introduction at the University of Johannesburg in 2020, Acupuncture has become one of the most popular and competitive programs. Approximately 50 students are accepted into the program each year, and the number of applicants has increased from 1,285 in 2020 to 7,102 in 2022.
Michelle Delport was one of the first students to graduate with a Master’s degree in Acupuncture from the University of Johannesburg. She is currently a lecturer and remains dedicated to expanding her knowledge through her further research.
Del Paul has helped many patients deal with frozen shoulder, stroke, and acute asthma through acupuncture. She said that through her years of clinical practice, she has seen first-hand the amazing effects of acupuncture. As she continues to learn, she hopes to share the benefits of TCM acupuncture with more people.
Shafik, who graduated from the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman in Malaysia, started his career at the Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic in Kuala Lumpur last year. He told People’s Daily that his mother’s migraine headaches were alleviated through his TCM treatment, and the aftereffects of meningitis were also significantly reduced over time. These experiences strengthened his determination to excel at TCM.
The Faculty of Traditional Chinese Medicine at Tunku Abdul Rahman University has been operating for over 10 years and reportedly has over 160 students. The average employment rate for graduates is 97% per year. The university collaborates with several universities and traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in China.
Doctors from the Chinese medical team dispatched to Cambodia diagnose local patients. (People’s Daily/Liu Hui)
According to statistics, in the first half of 2023, China’s exports of traditional Chinese medicine products exceeded $2.91 billion, an increase of 3.63% over the previous year. In recent years, China has established 31 TCM service export bases, which have developed into a comprehensive international service platform that benefits people from all over the world.
Artemisinin-based drugs, inspired by TCM literature and supported by scientific research in China, have made significant contributions to the prevention and treatment of malaria in many African countries.
Over the years, China has strengthened international cooperation in Chinese medicine with Belt and Road partner countries and made steady progress in building the Health Silk Road.
China has established 30 overseas TCM centers in Russia, Thailand, Hungary and other countries, and is facilitating the registration and market entry of more than 100 Chinese patented medicines in Belt and Road partner countries. In addition, China has signed traditional medicine cooperation agreements with 14 partner countries and has received support for TCM development within the legal and regulatory framework of 8 partner countries.
Raymond Busuttil, former president of MRCTCM, who has held positions at the Maltese Ministry of Health and the World Health Organization (WHO), said that TCM encapsulates centuries of human wisdom and can be used to address specific health issues. It has been proven that it has a unique effect. conditions.
The WHO has included traditional medicine derived from TCM in its International Classification of Diseases, demonstrating growing recognition of the value of TCM.
On August 19, 2023, continuing education and training was held for South African TCM doctors at the Africa Center for Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture (Photo provided by Hu Zijing)
(Web editor: Changsha, Liangjun)