WHO Annual Report

03-2022 to 03-2023

1. Annual report on the agreed workplan
Describe progress made on the agreed workplan. For each activity, detail (1) the actions taken, (2) the outputs delivered, as well as (3) any difficulties that may have been encountered. Three responses are expected. [maximum 200 words per activity]. Indicate, if an activity has been completed previously, has not yet started or has been placed on hold.

Activity 1
Title: Providing technical support for strengthening trainings for T&CM practitioners with focus on primary health care

Description: Improving training programs for T&CM practitioners is critical in strengthening the quality, safety and effectiveness of its services. It was also identified as one of key priorities at the recent WHO Meeting on Strengthening Regulatory System for T&CM practitioners in the Western Pacific Region held on 9-10 September in Melbourne, Australia. This activity will also contribute to Regional Strategy for Traditional Medicine in the Western Pacific (2011-2020) and strategic objective 2 of the WHO Traditional Medicine Strategy 2014-2023 (i.e. to strengthen quality assurance, safety, proper use and effectiveness of T&CM by regulating T&CM products, practices and practitioners). The centre will support WHO to strengthen regional capacity in T&CM education by providing technical support to Member States in improving training programs for T&CM practitioners. WHO will use their technical expertise, experiences and trainings to support Member States based on specific requests from Member States.

The center carried out academic education of Chinese medicine (virtual simulation classroom), etc. against global epidemic situation, continued to promote education and scientific research cooperation with Brazil and Argentina in South America, and Thailand and Malaysia in Southeast Asia, with aim to establish new growth points in overseas Chinese medicine education. Based on the Chinese Bridge Project of the Center for Language Education and Cooperation of the Ministry of Education, the Centre created "Chinese Bridge" winter camp on Chinese medicine culture for Vietnamese and Thai groups. 211 international students from VUTM and MFU participated in the program.

The center empowered the international education and exchange through "Clinical Cloud Classroom". The center organized the "Clinical Cloud Classroom" online for the Singapore Alumni Association, boosting the continuing clinical education for Chinese medicine practitioners in Singapore. 391 local Chinese medicine practitioners have been trained through the short-term courses.

The center continued to support its overseas Chinse Medicine centers based in Switzerland, UK and Australia to carry out traditional medicine education and training. The Swiss TCM Academy (STA) under the China-Swiss TCM Center (Zurich) has been accredited as a university and renamed Swiss TCM University.

Activity 2
Title: Promote consumer awareness on T&CM practices and products to improve their rational use

Description: Various modalities of T&CM are often used by the public without proper consultation with licensed T&CM practitioners in many countries of the Region. In addition, T&CM services and products are advertised through diverse communication channels, including SMS. Thus, improving rational use of T&CM by the public has been one of key priorities and strategic actions identified in the Regional Strategy for Traditional Medicine in the Western Pacific (2011-2020), specifically to achieve the second strategic objective which is to promote safe and effective use of T&CM. The deliverables will support WHO in improving the public awareness on T&CM services and products and enhance rational use of it in Member States.

The center participated in the organization of Jiangsu Traditional Chinese Medicine International Exchange Conference, which provided new initiatives and directions for TCM to serve global wellness. President Hu Gang as the center’s director signed collaboration agreements with Mae Fah Luang University of Thailand, Sunsuria Berhad of Malaysia and Instituto Piaget of Portugal in facilitating Chinese medicine education and awareness. The news of the conference was released in 4 languages across 420 agencies in 7 countries, covering over 200 million readers.

CC’s overseas center in UK organized Chinese medicine cultural promotion events in Manchester. The events were attended by Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy, renowned TCM experts in the UK, Chinese community in Greater Manchester, graduates of Shulan College of Chinese Medicine, etc. By Chinese medicine cultural activities, the Manchester community experienced the healing advantages and charm of Chinese medicine.

The center organized 2022 International Chinese Medicine Jingfang Conference to further explore the unique advantages of Jingfang. 150 scholars from 13 countries presented online and offline academic reports and special lectures. Taking this conference as opportunity, TCM practitioners will further give full play to the advantages of Jingfang, and contribute Chinese medicine solutions to building a community of common health.

Activity 3
Title: Provide support for development of norms, standards and technical documents on T&CM, including technical documents on research methodologies on T&CM

Description: WHO will support countries to improve national capacities for evidence-based T&CM practice. For this, generation of evidence is critical; however, developing appropriate research methodologies for it has been one of key challenges. The CC has capacity to support WHO in contributing technical input to the development of guidelines and research methodologies. WHO will use the to support Member States in improving evidence-based T&CM practices depending on their own context and capacities.

The center attaches great importance to and fully participates in the formulation of WHO standards and technical plans for clinical diagnosis, treatment, education and training of traditional medicine. The center actively organizes experts in related fields to completed technical document review of WHO draft Integrating traditional and Complementary medicine into health system to provide insights of Chinese Medicine to the health of people worldwide, which not only subjects to review the technical content, but also to the applicability of the document.

CC organized the ISO international standard application process, CC Associate Professor Li Xuan led the formulation of Propolis extract - Norms and acquired the project approval, after going through the WD, CD, DIS, FDIS stages and gaining the support. The project will last for 3 years. Professor Li has been participating in ISO international standardization activities since 2016, when she proposed to ISO/TC34 Food Technical Committee on behalf of the National Standards Management Committee to set up a sub-committee for the formulation of bee products related standards. In 2017, ISO Technical Management Committee approved the establishment of ISO Food Committee Bee Products Sub-Committee (ISO/TC34/SC19 Bee Products). The secretariat office was set up in China National Standards Management Committee (SAC).

Activity 4

Title: Provide support for information-sharing on integration models of T&CM for palliative care

Description: Member States have developed their own pathways to integrate T&CM appropriately depending on their own contexts and situation. While they make efforts to identify appropriate integration models, Member States ask for WHO's support to learn other Member States' experiences and different service delivery models on how T&CM can be integrated. With increasing burden of management of noncommunicable diseases and chronic conditions, palliative care has been identified as one of key areas where Member States want to explore integration of T&CM for. Based on requests from Member States and

the CC's expertise, the CC will support WHO in sharing integration models of T&CM, with focus on identification of key elements for integration with focus on palliative care, with Member States.

The center affiliated hospital focus on how Chinese medicine modulates and enriches palliative care in medical practice. The recent clinical research of TCM treatment of malignant tumors has infiltrated into all tumor treatments, and has achieve satisfactory results in both synergistic effects and toxicity reduction. Chinese medicine can effectively prevent and delay the post-operation relapse and metastasis, and reduce the radiation and chemotherapy toxicity, and also relieve the clinical symptoms and prolong the survival time.

In addition, TCM treatment of tumor also includes psychological treatment for patients, encouraging patients to increase their confidence in treatment, and cooperating with chemotherapy, surgery and other means to reduce tumor load. TCM treatment of tumor is physical and mental combined, through supporting the body and removing side effects of western medicine to improve the immune capacity of the human body, inhibit the rapid development of the tumor, to achieve a symbiotic state between the human body and the tumor. Therefore, TCM plays a very important and indispensable role in the whole process of tumor treatment. Therefore, we advocate that TCM should intervene early in the treatment of malignant tumors and run through the whole treatment process.

2. Annual report on other activities requested

Should WHO have requested activities in addition to the agreed workplan, please describe related actions taken by your institution [maximum 200 words]. Please do not include in this report any activity done by your institution that was not requested by and agreed with WHO.

No other activities requested.

3.Resources

Indicate staff time spent on the implementation of activities agreed with WHO (i.e. those mentioned in questions no. 1 and no. 2 above). Do not include any data related to other activities done by your institution without the agreement of WHO. Please indicate staff time using the number of “full-day equivalents” – a day of work comprising 8 hours (e.g. 4 hours work per day for 7 days should be recorded as 3.5 full-day equivalents).

Number of staff involved (either partially or fully)

Number of full-day equivalents, total for all staff involved

Implementation of the agreed workplan activities (i.e. those mentioned in questions no. 1 and no. 2 above) normally require resources beyond staff-time, such as the use of laboratory facilities, purchasing of materials, travel, etc. Please estimate the costs of these other resources as a percentage of the total costs incurred (e.g. if you incurred costs of USD 100 and the value of your staff time was USD 50 which makes the total of USD 150, please report 33.3% and 66.7%).

4. Networking

Describe any interactions or collaboration with other WHO Collaborating Centres in the context of the implementation of the agreed activities If you are part of a network of WHO Collaborating Centers, please also mention the name of the network and describe your involvement in that network [maximum 200 words].

The center participated in The Fourth Regional Forum of WHO CCs held in November 2022 in Cambodia. CC organized eight experts and shared progress in promoting Chinese medicine worldwide in the theme of “Reaching the Unreached”.

The center attended the webinar on T&CM Research in the Western Pacific in December, 2022, organized by WHO WPRO. Dr. Sangyoung Ahn from WHO HQ delivered the opening remarks on Clinical research of T&CM. CC’s Professor Wang Qian presented a speech entitled “Inheritance and innovation of AI + Chinese Medicine” in session of Research on Evidence Based T&CM Practice.

The center is a member of WHO CC Network in China. Directed by China’s NHC, the network shares the WHO guidelines and benchmark documents regularly, which enables CC to follow up with the latest directions from WHO HQ and WPRO.

The center collaborates closely with CC of Australia’s RMIT University in providing Chinese medicine clinical training. Annually RMIT bachelor students in Chinese medicine program attend the clinical placement in CC’s affiliated hospitals. In May, 2022, the two CCs renewed collaboration agreement for another five years.

The center contacts closely with CCs based in Shanghai and Beijing, organizing seminars on Chinese medicine and acupuncture training programs on a regular basis.