The combined use of TCM and Western medicine has proved effective
in Guangdong Province, Beijing and many other regions in China.
By
April 24, a total of 105 out of 112 SARS patients had recovered and
had been discharged from the provincial Chinese Medicine Hospital
based in Guangzhou. Meanwhile, the No 1 Hospital attached to the
Guangzhou Traditional Chinese Medicine University had successfully
treated all of its 36 SARS patients and kept its medical staff safe
from the deadly virus with the help of TCM, according to its
administration.
The Chinese people's belief in TCM will also add to the value of
the field, said Wang Shuchen from the Xiyuan Traditional Chinese
Medicine Hospital in Beijing.
The fact that many people immediately rushed to seek help from TCM
as soon as the epidemic broke out in Guangdong and Beijing is
proof, Wang said.
Based on the experience in Guangdong, the State Administration of
TCM recently launched guidelines for doctors including recommended
uses of TCM to prevent and treat SARS.
The guidelines, made by top TCM experts in China, separate TCM
treatment into four stages - the early, middle, peak and recovery
periods - while working with Western medicine.
The guidelines also provide a series of different prescriptions for
people of different ages and health, which have become popular
among residents in many cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou.
The treatment results were also noted by experts from the World
Health Organization when they visited Guangdong.
Huang Mingda from the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese
Medicine has proposed a national program for a systematical use of
TCM to help prevent and treat the flu-like disease.
The program, which extends to policy-making, clinical treatment,
technical support and medicine research, is expected to share the
latest TCM research on combating SARS with the public and medical
profession.
It
will also help publicize the value of TCM in fighting the
disease.
(China Daily May 20, 2003)
