A Successful Finale -- The First Sino-Belarusian Traditional Medicine Clinical Application Summit Successfully Held

In order to actively implement the development requirements of the "Belt and Road" and the action plan of TCM going out in our province, promote the high quality construction requirements of overseas centers of TCM and further deepen and expand the exchanges and cooperation with Belarus, the first Summit Forum on the Clinical Application of Traditional Chinese Medicine was held on June 27th and 28th, 2023, under the guidance of the Zhejiang Provincial Health Commission, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University and the Health Bureau of Minsk, Belarus. This summit forum，jointly organized by the Third Hospital Affiliated to Zhejiang Chinese Medical University and the Belarusian Graduate School of Medical Education, focused on the clinical application of Chinese medicine special techniques. 

Prof. Ma Ruijie, Vice President of the Third Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, together with an academic delegation, attended the summit and gave a keynote report in Belarus t. Shamal Igor, Director of the Health Department of Minsk Region of Belarus, Andrei Platonov, First Deputy Rector of the Belarusian Graduate School of Medical Education, and Linkevich Aleksander, Director of the Belarusian Regional Hospital of Minsk, were present at the Summit Forum. The forum was chaired by Prof. Sivakov Alexander, Chief Acupuncture Specialist of the Ministry of Health of Belarus. More than 100 participants attended the forum from the Belarusian side.

On behalf of the Chinese side, Vice President Ma Ruijie delivered a speech, in which she introduced the Third College of Clinical Medicine of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University (ZCMU) and the Third Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, and made a keynote report on "Advances in Acupuncture Treatment of Insomnia". The report centered on the etiology and pathogenesis of insomnia, a common sequela of Covid-19, and the treatment of insomnia with acupuncture. She introduced the principles of acupuncture point-taking as well as a variety of acupuncture techniques, which brought a brand-new technical concept to Belarusian doctors.

Dr. Li Zengtu, Associate Chief Physician of the Department of Tuina, introduced the unique advantages of acupuncture and tuina and auricular acupressure techniques in the prevention and treatment of myopia in adolescents. Dr. Liu Wenbing, Deputy Director of Department II of Rehabilitation Medicine, introduced the application of traditional Chinese rehabilitation techniques and practice in patients with COPD and their therapeutic effects. The Belarusian delegates highly affirmed the Chinese special treatment techniques delivered by the Chinese experts.

Prof. Sivakov Alexander's lecture was titled "Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the Republic of Belarus", in which he shared with the participants the development of Belarus in the field of traditional Chinese medicine. Experts from the Belarusian side also gave detailed reports on "Application of Reflexology in the Complex Treatment of Speech Disorders in Children", "Reflexology for Sensory-Motor Disorders after Stroke", "Treatment of Chronic Bronchitis from the Point of Modern Reflexology and Traditional Chinese Medicine" as well as "Treatment of Vertebral Nerve Syndrome by Classical Vacuum Massage".

On the same day, the delegation met with Shamal Igor, Director of the Minsk Regional Health Bureau, and Andrei Platonov, First Deputy Rector of the Belarusian Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education, and discussed the deepening of cooperation between China and Belarus and the construction of the China-Belarus Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, and exchanged views on the future cooperation in the areas of teaching, scientific research, and medical treatment, and reached the intention of in-depth cooperation.

Director Shamal Igor said that traditional medicine has a long history in Belarus, and Chinese acupuncture, tuina and cupping techniques are widely praised in Belarus. He emphasized that traditional Chinese medicine is an important content of traditional medicine exchange and cooperation between the two countries. In the future, in-depth cooperation with the Third Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang Chinese Medical University  in the fields of Chinese medicine technology training, scientific research and other areas should be further strengthened. He also expressed that the two sides should jointly promote the exchanges in the field of traditional medicine between the two countries in the hope that the advantageous technology of traditional Chinese medicine can better serve the Belarusian people.

Vice President Ma Ruijie said Zhejiang Province and Minsk Region have been friendly cities for a long time, and have maintained long-term and friendly cooperation with Minsk Region Health Bureau, Minsk Region Hospital and Belarusian Graduate School of Medical Education. The China-Belarus Center for Traditional Chinese Medicine, jointly established by the Third Hospital of Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Minsk Regional Hospital, is also the only TCM center in Belarus, which is recognized by the State Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

The Chinese and Belarusian governments attach great importance to the development of Chinese medicine in Belarus, and our hospital is willing to work with the Belarusian side to set a good example of the construction of the "Belt and Road" Chinese medicine center, continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two sides, give full play to the advantages of Chinese medicine, bring more high-quality Chinese medicine technology to Belarus, and provide technical guidance for Belarusian healthcare practitioners. We will continue to deepen exchanges and cooperation between the two sides, actively explore the mode and path of development of Chinese medicine in line with the situation and local needs of Belarus, and promote the traditional medicine to play a greater role in the socioeconomic development of Belarus. The Third Affiliated Hospital Zhejiang Chinese Medical University  will continue to adhere to the concept of win-win cooperation and development, rely on the construction of China-Belarus Chinese Medicine Center, and do a good job in international academic cooperation and exchanges, and build a high-level platform for international cooperation in Chinese medicine.