Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), widely introduced and used in the global anti-pandemic fight since the onset of COVID-19, has proved to be remarkably effective.
In a report released late March, the World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that the TCM is beneficial in the COVID-19 treatment, particularly mild-to-moderate cases.
From Asia to Africa and Europe, an increasing number of doctors and patients have tried the TCM and enjoyed its benefits. Calls have been growing to integrate the TCM and Western medicine so as to boost humans' relentless pursuit of health and fight diseases like COVID-19.
CONTRIBUTION TO GLOBAL ANTI-VIRUS EFFORTS
During the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in Zimbabwe, just like elsewhere around the world, little was known about this virus and panic was not uncommon. Months after the country confirmed its first coronavirus-related death in March 2020, a Chinese medical team arrived to assist in the anti-virus fight.
Chen Zanyu, president of the Federation of Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners, treats his patient Charles Bell at his clinic in Chislehurst, Britain, on April 29, 2022. (Xinhua/Han Yan)
Among the 12 team members was Sun Shuang, a TCM expert in respiratory diseases. She went to the African country on a 498-day medical assistance mission. As the only TCM doctor in the team, Sun was mainly responsible for the construction of Zimbabwe-China Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center and the anti-pandemic work.
"I have treated more than 1,400 COVID-19 patients in total, online and offline. The overall effective rate of the integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine treatment has reached more than 92 percent, so this is very convincing to the Ministry of Health (Zimbabwe) and the public," she told Xinhua.
According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, incomplete statistics showed that China had by April shared TCM diagnosis and treatment guidelines with over 150 countries and regions, provided TCM products to more than 10 countries and regions in need, and sent TCM experts to help epidemic control in about 30 countries and regions.
In March last year, China held the "Forum on Traditional Chinese Medicine and International Cooperation to Fight Against COVID-19 Pandemic," during which political leaders, government officials, WHO representatives and experts from 28 countries and regions had in-depth exchanges via video link.
Eddie Sanyama, a resident in Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe, and his wife caught COVID-19 in January 2021. As symptoms like headaches, running nose and nausea occurred, they turned to the TCM for help.
"It was a five-day course. And then on the second day, I started feeling much better. And on day four, I fully recovered," Sanyama told Xinhua. "I feel it's very effective and it's cheap, and I would recommend that Zimbabweans can take up this medicine. I think it's very effective."
Photo taken with a mobile phone on April 29, 2022 shows a staff member at Rose Pharmacy mixing the ingredients of the Chinese medicine "Shufeng Jiedu" in Rosenheim, Germany. (Xinhua/Huang Yan)
