UTAR hosted
the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Practitioners Enhancement course at
Sungai Long Campus on 19 September 2015. This course was organised by the
Ministry of Health (MoH) jointly with the TCM Competency Enhancement Module
Committee. The committee, of which UTAR chairs, is made up of the six local
universities that offer TCM courses, including Management and Science
University (MSU), Lincoln University College, Southern University College,
INTI International University, and International Medical University.
The purpose
of the course is to update TCM practitioners without formal degrees in TCM
on the regulations they are bound to by the Traditional and Complementary
Medicine Act 2013. Here to deliver the opening speech was the Deputy
Director General of Health (Medical), MoH, Datuk Dr Jeyaindran Tan Sri
Sinnadurai. He was accompanied by MSU Medical Director Dato' Dr Hj Lailanor
Bin Ibrahim, Malaysian Chinese Medical Association representative Heng Aik
Teng, Federation of Chinese Physicians and Acupuncturists Association of
Malaysia representatives Chang Boon Loong and Lee Gaik Hong, and Federation
of Chinese Physicians and Medicine Dealers Associations of Malaysia
representatives Kerk Ee Chan and Steven Kow Chong Cheih.
Welcoming the
guests were UTAR Vice President (Internationalisation and Academic
Development) Prof Dr Ewe Hong Tat, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences
(FMHS) Dean Emeritus Prof Dr Cheong Soon Keng, FMHS Department of Chinese
Medicine Head Dr Te Kian Keong, and FMHS Clinical TCM Programme Head Prof
Dr Si Xiaochen.
Datuk Jeyaindran welcoming the
participants
“Traditional
medicine practitioners are heroes and heroines who provide medical services
where Western medicine is out of reach. There are many who doubt its
efficacy in mainstream Western medicine, but the knowledge honed over
thousands of years makes the practitioners experts in their own right. I
believe a great strength of traditional medicine is that a large part of its
philosophy is preemptive medicine centred on wellness, in contrast to
Western medicine which focuses on curing illnesses,” said Datuk Jeyaindran.
He stressed
that mainstream medicine must become more accepting of traditional medicine
as they are complementary, like brothers and sisters. And that a stronger
alliance between the two philosophies would lead to more comprehensive care
for patients. He also pointed out that 14 hospitals in Malaysia already have
traditional medicine wings. When quizzed whether he would employ the
services of TCM practitioners himself, he replied that he would without
hesitation.
Explaining
the Ministry’s intentions, Datuk Jeyaindran said, “The reason we are
carrying out the enhancement course is to elevate the second-class standing
of traditional medicine to a legitimate, government-sanctioned practice.
Registration of practitioners will increase public trust and grant
practitioners due respect so that they may practise their vocation with
pride and dignity.”
The course
began in earnest with an introductory speech by Dr Goh Cheng Soon, Director
of the Traditional and Complementary Medicine (T&CM) Division, MoH. She
outlined an overview on TCM’s situation in Malaysia and what the course
would entail. Later on Dr Chai Koh Meow took the floor to deliver a lecture
on the regulations concerning TCM practitioners in Malaysia. Dr Chai
explained the penalties faced by practitioners not registered with the MoH,
who cannot practise TCM legally. He also highlighted the importance of
patient consent and consent forms.
The next to
speak was Wong Wei Chyi, who spoke on proper practices when promoting and
advertising TCM services, taking special care to warn them against making
false claims. “The purpose of MoH regulation is not to penalise
practitioners, but to professionalise the profession, safeguard their
livelihoods, and protect members of the public,” said Wong. She elaborated
that standardising TCM practices enables the MoH to weed out fraudsters and
amateurs who may pose as TCM professionals, but have little experience or
training. Dr Chai and Wong both hail from the MoH’s T&CM Division.
Wong giving her talk
The second
day of the course took place on 20 September 2015 and the final day will
occur on 3 October 2015. This was the pilot project of the course. The
feedback received and lessons learnt will be used to improve future courses
that will be expanded to cover the remaining TCM practitioners nationwide,
as well traditional Indian and Malay, medicine practitioners. The course was
conducted in English. However, explanations and subtitles in Chinese were
included for clarification. All TCM practitioners without degrees in TCM
will be required to undergo the course if the course is endorsed by the T&CM
Council as a requirement for registration.
From left: Dr Te, Dr Chai, Emeritus
Prof Cheong, Dato’ Lailanor, Datuk Jeyaindran, Kerk, Prof Ewe, Dr Goh, Heng,
Kow, Prof Si
Dr Goh (far left) and Datuk
Jeyaindran (third from left) with the oldest participants (from left): Fam
Chong Poon, Tan Poh Choon, Tan Yong Sim@Tan Liong Sin, and Hoong Leong Kok
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