Traditional Chinese Medicine gaining popularity in Africa amid COVID-19 outbreak

Enormous potential

Over decades, Chinese medical teams in Africa have established a solid reputation for applying TCM therapy to treat diseases, many of which are chronic and difficult.

Muhammed Ibrahim, a U.S.-trained doctor at the Eastern and Western Hospital in Abuja, told Xinhua that the TCM has been increasingly acknowledged and accepted by the public in Nigeria, with an increasing number of medical institutions providing TCM therapy.

As he sees it, most countries fighting COVID-19, including Nigeria, are taking a cue from the tenacious Chinese approach.

"China is open about the facts and measures, and it is expected China will share more details about definite curative effects of TCM in the disease," said Ibrahim.

Away from the spotlight, the TCM therapy has been playing a bigger role in treating common diseases.

Liu Qiuhong, chief of the 8th Chinese medical team in Ghana, said TCM therapy is gaining popularity among Ghanaians. Like in many tropical countries, obesity and glaucoma are among the most common diseases in Ghana. Instead of seeking long-term medication, many locals now tend to try the TCM, which they see as a safer alternative following more recovered cases.

"Constant acupuncture therapy has enabled me to lose weight and cured my legs, and it brings hope to my life again," said Gifty Opare Kwakyi, a Ghanaian patient.

Last year alone, the Chinese acupuncture consulting room in Ghana's LEKMA hospital, also known as China-Ghana Friendship hospital, received more than 800 local patients.

In the Namibian capital city of Windhoek, doctors at the Katutura State Hospital are overwhelmed by the number of patients interested in the TCM. On average, they treat more than 100 such patients every day.

Yohannes Chala, head of the Addis Ababa Health Bureau, said "Chinese medicine and medical applications are highly regarded among Ethiopians," and that "the most common form of Chinese medical engagement in Ethiopia's healthcare sector is the application of acupuncture."

In South Africa, doctors who use the TCM are registered under the Allied Health Professions Council and can claim medical aid. More and more South Africans are now using traditional Chinese medicine as they have become more aware of it.