PRESS RELEASE

Y.B DATO’ SRI LIOW TIONG LAI

26 NOVEMBER 2012

1.    Workshop on “Policy on Traditional Medicine in Primary Healthcare”  

• A three (3) day pre-conference workshop was successfully conducted  in Berjaya Times Square Hotel, Kuala Lumpur, from 23^rd to 25^th November 2012.
• The aim of the workshop was to incorporate into Malaysia’s healthcare system, the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Strategy for Traditional Medicine in Western Pacific (2011-2020).
• Experts and participants included:

i)   Two (2) representatives from the WHO;

ii)  Ten (10) representatives from each ASEAN Member State;

iii) Ten (10) expert personnel, consist of our local TM practitioners; representatives from the Family Health Development Division, and Medical Practice Division of the Ministry of Health, Malaysia.A Chinese TM practitioner from Korea was also present at the workshop.

iv)  Eight (8) facilitators and secretariat from Traditional and Complementary Medicine Division, Ministry of Health, Malaysia.

• The workshops focused on methods to: (i) incorporate TM in primary healthcare; (ii) promote safe and effective TM practice in primary healthcare; and (iii) strengthen cooperation and communication between TM and allopathic practitioners with their patients.
• It will enable the T&CM Division of the MOH to produce a comprehensive government policy on TM in primary healthcare in Malaysia.

2.    Traditional and Complementary Medicine Bill 2012

• The T&CM Bill was tabled in Parliament in June 2012. It was passed by the House of Representatives (Dewan Rakyat) in September 2012. The Bill will be tabled to the House of Senate (Dewan Negara) in December 2012. 
• Several briefings regarding this Bill have been conducted for the public, especially to those registered T&CM practitioners.
• The main objective of the T&CM Bill is to regulate the practitioners of T&CM through the validation of their qualifications against set standards,  compulsory registration and practising certificates.
• This is to  ensure safe, effective   T&CM services for the public.

3.    New Traditional and Complementary Medicine Unit, at Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital

• To date, there are eleven (11) Government hospitals providing T&CM services, namely Hospital Kepala Batas; Hospital Sultan Ismail, Johor Bahru; Hospital Putrajaya; Hospital Sultanah Nur Zahira, Kuala Terengganu; Hospital Duchess of Kent, Sandakan; Hospital Umum Sarawak; Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah, Alor Setar; Hospital Port Dickson; Hospital Sultanah Hajjah Kalsom, Cameron Highlands; Hospital Perempuan Zainab II, Kota Bharu; and Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital. 
• Generally, the services provided in the T&CM unit include traditional Malay massage, Malay postnatal care, Shirodhara, Acupuncture and herbal oncology as adjunct treatment for cancer patients.
  • The 11^th T&CM unit, located at Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital, was recently opened in early November this year. Currently, it provides T&CM services such as traditional Malay massage and Acupuncture.