Chinese medical team brings free TCM healthcare to Myanmar

"I'm getting better now. It is my first time with Chinese TCM doctors. I think there are no experts like them in Myanmar," said Daw May Hlaing, 58, recounting her previous success with TCM treatment that aided in her recovery from a partial stroke.  

YANGON, Oct. 4 (Xinhua) -- On a rainy morning in Yangon, Myanmar, local residents eagerly awaited their turn to receive Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) treatment from a team of Chinese doctors at a temporary clinic.

The charity clinic was established by the Returned Overseas Chinese Federation of Fujian Province and the Fujian General Chamber of Commerce in Myanmar.

The clinic has provided free medical consultation, acupuncture and various TCM treatment to the city's residents, the federation said.

Daw May Hlaing, 58, suffering from cervical spondylosis (neck pain) and waist discomfort, shared her positive experience with acupuncture, praising Chinese doctors' expertise.

"I'm getting better now. It is my first time with Chinese TCM doctors. I think there are no experts like them in Myanmar," she said, recounting her previous success with TCM treatment that aided in her recovery from a partial stroke.

Another patient, 80-year-old Li Hong Fang, said she had come to the clinic seeking a medical evaluation for her breast and liver health.

"They (the organs) are good after a medical checkup, but the doctor advised me to be careful as I'm aging," she said.

Li Hong Fang was no stranger to TCM. She said she had received TCM treatment in the past for alleviating body stiffness and maintaining overall wellness, saying "I'm grateful to the Chinese doctors."

Ma May Zin, 42, received treatment for throat, nerve, and ear pain from the TCM experts. Following her medical assessment, she was informed of high temperature in her body, she said.

"This is my first experience with TCM treatment. However, my grandparents used to receive TCM treatments," she said, mentioning her use of Chinese balm for relief.

Regarding the free TCM healthcare program, she said by providing free medical treatment like this, more people in Myanmar would come to know about TCM.

Liu Guoguang, 63, a Yangon resident who came to see TCM doctors for his gastrointestinal disease at the temporary clinic, said: "This program is very good. I am grateful to China and also hope to have many medical activities like this in the future."

Chen Jie, chief physician of the Rehabilitation Department of Fujian Provincial Hospital and a member of the Chinese TCM team, said this was his second visit to Myanmar for a charity TCM clinic. He also noted a significant increase in the number of patients seeking TCM services this time, mostly with back pain.

The team of five Chinese doctors aided by medical staff provided free TCM healthcare services to about 300 people, mostly overseas Chinese, during their healthcare mission this time.

Zhang Yao, a member of the Returned Overseas Chinese Federation of Fujian Province, said their federation annually assembles TCM professionals and dispatches them to foreign countries for charity clinics. Myanmar is the third country that they visited in this program this time, following their previous endeavors in Laos and Sri Lanka.

"Our purpose is to take care of overseas Chinese people and to promote the essence of traditional Chinese medicine," she said.