Power of healing to spread
- Source: Global Times
- [09:38 June 25 2010]
- Comments
Foreign students receive a lesson from doctors on Traditional Chinese Medicine last month at Shanghai Renai Hospital. Photo: Xinhua
By Zhang Cao
Shanghai health authorities plan to enroll more foreigners to study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and establish centers that will target foreign clientele in the city.
Shen Yuandong, deputy director of the Shanghai Health Bureau, spoke at a press conference Thursday about the city's three-year plan regarding TCM, following a mandate issued by the central government last year to promote the benefits of the thousands-year-old practice.
He said the city aims to increase the enrollment of foreigners studying TCM in the city by some 200 students at the end of the year.
Currently, some 800 foreign students are enrolled in bachelor or master degree classes at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, the only university dedicated to teaching the practice in the city. Some 1,200 other students from abroad are enrolled in short-term courses, which take less than a year to complete.
"Our students come from across the world, including western countries and Southeast Asia," a professor surnamed Hu from Shanghai University of Traditional Medicine, told the Global Times Thursday. "Many of these students go back to their home country and become TCM doctors."
Though no details were provided on the number of TCM centers to be set up, or when they will be built, Shen said the bureau was dedicated to the cause.
However, getting foreigners to believe in the healing power of TCM is still a challenge, according to Zhang Bei, the press officer of Parkway Health, who spoke with the Global Times Thursday.
"We have three TCM doctors, but only about a dozen of our patients visit these doctors every day compared to hundreds who see our doctors specializing in Western medicine."
"Those that see our TCM doctors only trust the massage and acupuncture practices though," she added. "They don't use the herbs to treat sickness or illness because they don't believe that they work."
