Associate Vice-President (Chinese Medicine Development) of the Hong Kong Baptist University. Bian Zhaoxiang (first left), briefs Tong Xiaolin, leader of the Mainland Chinese medicine expert group of the Central Authorities, on the operation of the HKBU's Chinese Medicine Telemedicine Centre Against COVID-19, Hong Kong, April 3, 2022. (PHOTO / HKSAR GOVERNMENT)
Hong Kong needs to strengthen its policies to allow wider use of traditional Chinese medicine so that TCM can play a more important role in the fight against COVID-19, said Tong Xiaolin, head of a group of Chinese medicine experts visiting the special administrative region.
In an interview with Xinhua News Agency on Thursday, Tong urged the Hong Kong government to further promote the application of Chinese medicine and provide easier access to information and use of Chinese medicine for local residents.
Mainland experts will remain in close contact with the SAR government and work with all sectors in Hong Kong to fight the epidemic, said Tong Xiaolin, head of a group of Chinese medicine experts visiting the special administrative region
Since arriving in Hong Kong on March 29, the seven-member group from the Chinese mainland has visited several COVID-19 treatment facilities, isolation centers and Chinese medicine clinics.
Tong said they’ve seen Hong Kong residents’ urgent needs for Chinese medicine during their visit. The Hong Kong authorities should adopt a “three easies” approach to TCM – easy to understand, easy to implement and easy to access, he said.
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The first approach means that residents should be taught to know how to choose and use Chinese medicine; the second means a standardized scheme should be formulated for TCM practitioners and personnel working in isolation facilities to use; while the last is to build a better and more comprehensive network of information and services for residents to access Chinese medicine easily, he explained.
Mainland experts will remain in close contact with the SAR government and work with all sectors in Hong Kong to fight the epidemic, Tong said.
He also suggested that the government should step up its coordination and management to absorb more intensive care specialists to build up the talent pool, and establish a national Chinese medicine research center.
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Earlier this month, the SAR government distributed anti-epidemic packages containing two boxes of proprietary TCM to about 3 million households in the city. Residents are encouraged to use the kits delivered to their homes or handed out at 89 distribution points to help curb the coronavirus.
aoyulu@chinadailyhk.com