Posted on November 12, 2013, Tuesday

KUALA LUMPUR: A booklet aimed at strengthening the national policy on traditional and complementary medicine to integrate it in primary health care was launched by the Health Mministry yesterday.

Titled, Strategy of Traditional and Complementary Medicine in Primary Health Care, it was launched by minister, Datuk Seri Dr S Subramaniam who hoped it would guide the relevant stakeholders to further develop traditional and complementary medicine in the country.

The strategy focuses on several areas which include integrating traditional and complementary practices in disease prevention and lifestyle modification; recognises the role of governance as the gatekeeper of traditional and complementary medicine; and, develops human capital to ensure competent healthcare practitioners.

The booklet was launched during the opening ceremony of the two-day International Conference on Siddha Medicine hosted by the ministry, beginning today.

At a news conference after the launch, Dr Subramaniam said since the inception of the traditional and complementary medicine division in 2004, a total of 11 public hospitals in the country were currently providing traditional and complementary medicine to the public.

Among treatment offered at the 11 hospitals are traditional Malay massage, Malay post-natal massage and acupuncture, he said, adding that the Traditional and Complementary Medicine Act was gazetted into law in February this year.

Upon enforcement, the legislation would provide a solid foundation for the regulation of the practice of traditional and complementary medicine, especially regarding the registration of practitioners, accreditation of qualification, development of research and quality control, said the minister. Bernama

<< Previous Entry - Next Entry >>

To enable your comment to be published, please refrain from vulgar language, insidious, seditious or slanderous remarks. This includes vulgar user names.

Follow this link:

Booklet on strategy of traditional, complementary medicine launched