Local doctors to work with TCM practitioners to treat illnesses

BEIJING: Specialists from hospitals and medical centres in Malaysia will soon be able to work with Chinese traditional medicine practitioners to develop methods of treating illnesses under a new cooperation agreement between both countries.
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the cooperation would benefit Malaysia as some of the traditional practices adopted by the Chinese physicians could be good reference for Malaysian doctors.
“This is a very important development in our medical field. There are some cancer conditions in Malaysia that are hard for our specialists to treat,” he said.
“China invited our specialists to visit the country and learn from their practitioners specialising in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM),” he said after signing a memorandum of understanding on policy regulation and promotion of traditional medicine with Chinese Vice Health Minister Wang Guoqiang here Monday.
He said both countries had agreed to start developing more software programmes such as training, research and development and clinical management for their doctors while waiting for the construction of a centre of excellence for TCM in Malaysia.
It is learnt that the Malaysian Government had offered a 20.2ha land in Salak Tinggi, Selangor, for the project, which is estimated to cost RM200mil to RM300mil. The Chinese side will provide the technical expertise to build the centre.
Federation of Chinese Physicians and Medicine Dealers Associations president Ting Ka Hua said Malaysia was one of the few countries in South-East Asia, which had kept the rich TCM tradition from generation to generation.
“There are many illnesses and conditions as well as medicinal plants that can only be found in countries with tropical weather like Malaysia. We can collaborate with our Chinese counterparts to conduct R&D in this respect,” he said.
Federation of Chinese Physicians and Acupuncturists Associations president Ng Po Kok said the centre would also provide the opportunity for its members to train in China.