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Demand for Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is growing in Zimbabwe as more people seek to benefit from this medical system.
Onias Ndoro, the director of traditional medicines in the Ministry of Health and Child Care of Zimbabwe, said more health personnel are expected to be trained in TCM following the establishment of a TCM Centre in 2020 at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare.
“We also intend to open another clinic in the southern region, probably next year if resources permit,” Ndoro told Xinhua on Friday.
To meet the growing demand for TCM in the country, in 2022, a group of 10 medical workers graduated from a TCM personnel training course at the TCM Centre at Parirenyatwa Hospital, becoming Zimbabwe’s first medical workers to complete such training.
“We included the training component for locals so that at least there is an element of sustainability and also to ensure that we can expand the scope of traditional Chinese medicine regarding the services we are offering at the clinic,” said Ndoro.
Earlier this month, Ndoro attended the 2024 World Conference on Traditional Medicine in Beijing, where he participated in sharing experiences and ideas on traditional medicine.
The conference provided an opportunity to understand the global landscape of traditional medicine, he said.
Ndoro added that incorporating Zimbabwean traditional medicine into the national healthcare system would ensure accessibility to healthcare services, especially in remote areas.
“People can then choose which modality to apply under given circumstances,” he said.
To enhance public knowledge of TCM, a TCM exhibition and emergency room was established at the TCM Centre at PGH in June, with technical and financial support from the First Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine.
Hu Sha, director of the TCM Centre at Parirenyatwa, has organised several visits to the exhibition and emergency rooms to introduce the culture and techniques of TCM to the local people and strengthen cooperation between China and Zimbabwe in traditional medicine. – Xinhua
Online Reporter