PHOTO // USMF "Nicolae Testemițanu" to receive medical equipment and supplies for Traditional Chinese Medicine Centre

Nicolae Testemițanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy (USMF) will receive medical equipment and supplies under the technical assistance project for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Centre (CTMC). It provides for the deployment of Chinese specialists, as well as the training and professional development of doctors in our country in acupuncture, manual therapy and phytotherapy.

The launch ceremony of phase III of the technical assistance project for the CTMC was attended by Minister of Health Emil Ceban, First Vice-Rector Olga Cernețchi, Vice-Rector for Teaching Activity and Academic Management of Nicolae Testemițanu USMF, Her Excellency Dong Zhihua, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Moldova, Gao Fengli, Economic Counsellor of the Embassy, as well as academics from Gansu University of Chinese Medicine, delegated as specialist doctors to the CTMC: Professors Jin Jianjun and Yan Chunlu, Associate Professor Liu Anguo and Lecturer Zhan Yanfeng.

Emil Ceban emphasized the importance of developing bilateral relations in the medical sector, highlighting the contribution of international partnerships to the modernization of the health system and the diversification of medical services provided to the population.

“Launching the third phase of this project is an important moment for strengthening Moldovan-Chinese relations in the field of health. The integration of complementary therapeutic approaches, when scientifically validated and applied responsibly, can contribute to expanding treatment options and improving the quality of medical services. Our cooperation shows that international partnerships can significantly contribute to the development of the medical system and to improving the quality of services for patients,” Ceban said.

The official expressed appreciation for the support provided by the Government of the People’s Republic of China and for the involvement of experts in the implementation of this project, underlining that the bilateral partnership will continue to generate opportunities for professional exchanges, research and innovation in the field of health.

In recent years, cooperation between medical and academic institutions of the two countries has seen constant development, being supported by joint initiatives in medical education, research and exchange of expertise. Training programs and academic mobility have offered doctors and students the opportunity to acquire additional competences and become familiar with complementary therapeutic methods.

“In 1961, Chinese professor Lin Keqin came from afar to Moldova and sowed on this land the first seed of traditional Chinese medicine. In 2011, the Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Moldova was officially inaugurated. After more than a decade of development, it has become an important ‘health calling card’ of the friendship between China and Moldova. Through acupuncture, therapeutic massage and the use of traditional Chinese medicines, numerous local patients have been cured. By early 2024, the center had provided consultations to almost 40,000 people in Moldova, demonstrating through concrete results the unique charm of traditional Chinese medicine,” said Dong Zhihua, China’s Ambassador in Chișinău.

The official pointed out that the establishment of this center is an important outcome of bilateral cooperation in the field of health, as well as a new bridge for cultural and interpersonal exchanges between the two countries.

“We express hope that the third phase of the project will promote mutual learning and the exchange of good practices, and will further carry forward the cultural heritage of traditional Chinese medicine. We also hope that this third phase will become a flagship project of the rapprochement between our peoples and will contribute to the well-being and health of the citizens of Moldova,” added Dong Zhihua.

Phase III of the technical assistance project for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Centre aims to strengthen medical services, develop competences and ensure the coherent integration of traditional Chinese medicine into medical practice and the educational process in the Republic of Moldova. The third phase of the project also seeks to create new opportunities for collaboration, exchange of experience and professional development.