KUCHING: Awareness and arising demand on herbs in medication make some public hospitals in the country offer herbs-based treatment to cure illnesses of the patients.
KNOWLEDGE SHARING: Tan (second left) receives a souvenir from Prof Li at the forum.
Assistant Minister in the Chief Minister’s Department Tan Joo Phoi said people nowadays are aware that herbal treatment is acceptable even in the modern world of medicine.
Tan said people should not worry about using herbs in their daily food supplements as well as a cure for any illness because some of them are recognised by modern medical practitioners and guaranteed safe for consumption by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (KKM).
“In the modern world, the traditional medicine is an alternative form of treatment and people are more aware of its role and benefits.”
Tan was speaking at the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) International Cooperation and Exchange Asia forum here on Tuesday night.
He urged TCM practitioners to register themselves with KKM to give herbal medication legitimacy to be further enhanced through research and development.
He added that the traditional Chinese herbs had been in existence since the ancient times and had become an alternative to modern medicine.
He hoped that the Asia forum, which is jointly organised with World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS), The Chung Hua TCH SRS of Malaysia (CHTCMSM) collaborated with Miri Traditional Chinese Physician Association, The Acupuncture and Moxibustion Society of Sarawak, Sarawak Professional Tionghua Physician association and Sarawak Herbs and Traditional Medicine Association, would increase the knowledge in herbal medicine among the participants.
He hoped that the inaugural event would gather all the TCM practitioners in Asia to share ideas and opinions among themselves.
Also present at the dinner were the two local speakers, Professor Dr CC Wong and Professor Andrew Tiong Hock Seng and also two speakers from China, Professor Li Zhen Ji and Professor Huang Jian Yi.
Further information on the TCM is available at http:/tcmonline.moh.gov.my.