Early in the morning, many patients are waiting outside the herbal medicine unit of the China-Ghana Friendship Hospital, known as LEKMA Hospital, at Teshie, a suburb of the Ghanaian capital of Accra.

Many of them came for receiving treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) which has become increasingly popular with the people in the West African country. Even those living far away from the national capital would spend several days traveling to the hospital for treatment.

Richlove Agyepong, one of the patients from the Bono Region in western Ghana, came to the hospital as she had severe chronic pains in her back, neck, waist and shoulders.

"I met Doctor Chen Gao when I first came here. His warm reception, psychologically, made me feel better because I knew I was in good hands," Agyepong said.

After two courses of treatment, she said the pains disappeared with her health improving rapidly.

Agyepong said Chen, a member of the Chinese medical team to Ghana, was patient in explaining every process and its effects on the body before applying them to the patients.

"He explained every procedure and told me I would feel a little pain later at home, and it was true. Now, the pains in my neck, shoulder and back have eased," she added. "Acupuncture is a good therapy, despite the pain. I would prefer this to oral medication. I used to take volumes of pain relievers. But after going through two sessions here, I could go a whole day without taking pain medication and I am fine."

Since 2009, China has sent 12 batches of medical teams to Ghana, with more than 100 Chinese personnel providing medical services for the people in the country.

The TCM is effective in the relief of pain, Chen said. With assistance from his Ghanaian counterparts and paramedics, Chen applied cupping, acupuncture, massage and moxibustion, accompanied by Chinese herbal preparations, in the treatment for the patients.

The TCM is gaining popularity in Ghana due to its simplicity, high healing effects and affordability to the locals, Chen said. "TCM is growing in Ghana, and you can see many patients waiting to receive treatment. They come not because of advertisements, but because of the good therapeutic effect, and they tell others about it."

Chen spoke highly of the support of the local medical professionals and cooperation with them. The Chinese doctors also teach Ghananian about TCM.

"The Chinese doctors come every year on voluntary service, and while working with us, they teach us consistently. They are so concerned about the knowledge transfer as much as they care about the work itself," said Sandra Ashong, head of the herbal medicine unit at the hospital.

Ashong said the local medical staff learned new skills and received new insight into the TCM practice from Chinese doctors, which helped them better deliver their services to local patients.

Ashong said that TCM was gradually becoming an accepted therapy among patients and that due to the results delivered by TCM, the herbal medicines unit won an award as the best unit last year.

She lauded the Chinese doctors for their dedication to their duty and the empathy they extend to the patients.

Ashong called for deepening the collaboration between the two sides to establish TCM training schools in Ghana to teach more local medical professionals about relevant knowledge and skills.

"I have been here for 10 years, and they (Chinese doctors) have done extremely well. We have learned extensively from them, so even when they are not around, we can do most of what they taught us," she added.