Training for Chinese physicians

Star: IPOH: Local Chinese medicine practitioners can now undergo training under their counterparts from China through a Health Ministry programme.
Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the training programme was under its traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) division.
He said local practitioners would be attached with their China counterparts for three months.
He said three oncologists from China have been recruited and each would have three local TCM practitioners under their wing.
“The programme, which started recently, includes hands-on lectures and observation on theories and practices using herbs as an adjunct treatment for cancer patients,” Liow said at the opening of the Tongren private medical centre here yesterday.
Practitioners who are interested can apply to the ministry to join the programme.
Liow said the programme was meant to help build the foundation for all local TCM practitioners in the future.
To a question, Liow said it was not viable to allow patients to walk in and seek traditional treatment at public hospitals as there were too few practitioners.
“If we open the floodgates, we cannot cope with the influx of patients,” he said.
Patients would still be referred to the TCM practitioners by the hospitals’ doctors, said Liow, adding that they were looking to recruit more traditional medicine practitioners.
Due to overwhelming response, three more TCM centres would be set up at the Sultanah Nur Zahirah Hospital in Terengganu, Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Sabah and Sarawak General Hospital by the end of the year.
Three pilot government hospitals – Kepala Batas Hospital in Penang, Sultan Ismail Hospital in Johor and Putrajaya Hospital – have been providing TCM treatment since 2007.