Annual Report  03-2013 to 03-2014

Every 12 months, WHO Collaborating Centers are requested to complete an annual progress report form (below) and submit it electronically to WHO. The purpose of this report is to provide WHO with an overview of the progress made in the implementation of the agreed activities included in the WHO collaborating centre's workplan. Detailed technical results would normally be directly submitted to the appropriate WHO department and not be reported here. Please discuss with your responsible officer when and how these should be submitted. Please keep this report brief and focused and submit it within 4 weeks of the request. The reporting period is indicated above. Please note that failure to submit requested annual progress report forms during the period of designation may exclude an institution from being proposed for redesignation as WHO collaborating centre (i.e. renewal of the designation upon expiry).

1. Please briefly describe the progress made in the implementation of your agreed workplan as WHO collaborating centre during the past 12 months (or the reporting period listed above). Please report on how each workplan activity was implemented, if any outputs have been delivered, if any results have been achieved and if any difficulties have been encountered during this time. If an activity has previously been completed, has not started yet, or been placed on hold, please indicate this.

Activity 1

Title: Promote the public understanding of TM practice and products

 Description: Traditional forms of medicine are normally used in a holistic context involving lifestyle changes, customers need to be aware of the risks and benefits of traditional medicine practice and products to make informed decisions about their health choice. The activity intends to introduce Chinese Medicine through Confucius Institute, a collaborative project with RMIT University in Australia established to promote the study of Chinese culture and language.

With the establishment of Chinese Medicine Confucius Institute, the Center continued to explore new modes of combining Chinese teaching together with Chinese medicine by introducing a “Chinese Language in a Chinese Medicine Clinical Setting” course.

As an innovation project of Chinese Medicine Confucius Institute this year, the Chinese Medicine Culture Salonintends to establish an interactive platform between Chinese medicine and western medicine in 2013. Thus a communication channel was established between practitioners of Chinese medicine and western medicine and the local public. Lectures were held at schools and communities and have attracted numerous teachers and students as well as community residents. Besides, to help the elderly of Australian Community to have a healthy lifestyle, a Sitting Health Preservation Eight-section Exercise were developed in April 2013, which is very suitable for the elderly over 75 years old it has won a strong favor of the public, and opens a new window for local public to know and understand Chinese Medicine. Through above activities, the understanding and appreciation of Chinese Medicine embedded in Chinese culture has been enhanced for all walks of Australian societies.

Activity 2

Title: Develop and provide training program and opportunity of TM

 Description: It is important that traditional medicine providers have sufficient knowledge to assess advantages and limitations, and have confidence in the quality, safety and effectiveness of traditional medicine. The activity intends to develop diverse education programs in traditional medicine and provide training opportunities as appropriate at the request of WHO Headquarters and Regional Office for health care providers and relevant researchers at Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine.

Generally, the Center provides international students with three types of TCM education, which are long-term training program ended with academic degree, short-term training program ended with certificate and advanced training program for TCM practitioners. In the last year, there were 225 international students involved in long-term training program, 223 involved in short-term training program and 23 involved in advanced training program respectively. Besides, various methods have been introduced by the centre to encourage the development of practical skills for students. As such, clinical observation and practice are well arranged during the training period.

Activity 3

Title: Strengthen working relations with WHO/HQ, WHO/RO and other WHO CCs

 Description: WHO Executive Board encourages WHO CCs to develop working relations with other centers by creating or joining collaborative networks. Region or country-specific efforts have also been included in this networking. For better alignment with WHO programs, the activity intends to introduce new synergies and peer-to-peer opportunities for WHO CCs through network establishment within and between countries.

In the last year, the Center was invited to attend the Meeting on the Education of Traditional Medicine Practitioners in the Western Pacific Region held in Melbourne, Australia. Through communication and exchange in the meeting, the opportunities and challenges of the Traditional Medicine Education in the Western Pacific Region were discussed, and responsibilities of the working committee were identified. The Center was invited to join the working committee as well to do relevant research. The above-mentioned activity shall play an important role in disseminating the influence of WHOCC for Traditional Medicine.

Activity 4

Title: Enhance cooperation and exchange between countries in respect of TM

 Description: The inherited information on traditional medicine practice and products from various countries is an important cultural resource to be treasured, which is still highly scattered at present. The activity intends to encourage cooperation and exchange for training, research and information to facilitate the harmonization of traditional medicine.

Through gradually promoting TCM education overseas, actively establishing joint scientific research, jointly providing health care service, etc, the Center has deepened the cooperation with other countries in Traditional Medicine through the information exchange and resources sharing with its foreign counterparts, achieving the expansion of our own contribution and influence in the field of Traditional Medicine with the dissemination of the results of TCM clinical practice, education and research. Meanwhile, the Center advances its work by acquainting itself with development of traditional medicine in different parts of the world.

In the last year, the Center has received a total of 305 foreign visitors from 36 countries and 68 organizations in 5 continents. Among those 305 foreign visitors, 39 of them are high-ranking government officials and university presidents. On the other hand, in the last year, NUCM has sent totally 119 faculty members in 85 outbound groups to 32 countries and regions covering 4 continents. The frequent exchanged visits between different countries have been greatly conducive to the enhancement of cooperation and communication in TCM education and research in the worldwide.

2. Please briefly describe your collaboration with WHO in regards to the activities of the WHO collaborating centre during the past 12 months (e.g. means of communication, frequency of contact, visits to or from WHO). Please feel free to mention any difficulties encountered (if any) and to provide suggestions for increased or improved communication

In accordance with ACT 2, the Center kept maintaining close relations with WHO HQ, Regional Office and WHO CCs in China. In the process, we realize that the integration of the WHO strategic focus and the main works of the Center is the main difficulties of WHO and WHO CCs for TRM in China. We suggest that: 1. Language is far more than the carrier; it should have played a more significant role. 2. WHO programs might act as a bridge to link the WHO HQ with its CCs for better communication and exchange.

3. Please briefly describe any interactions or collaborations with other WHO collaborating centers in the context of the implementation of the above activities (if any). If you are part of a network of WHO collaborating centers, please also mention the name of the network, and describe any involvement in the network during the last 12 months.

WHO CCs for TRM in China are mainly located in Beijing, Shanghai and Nanjing. The Center has been keeping a close relation with the other two collaborative centers by means of this kind of annual meeting of three parts for recent years. In the year 2013, the Center attended the above-mentioned meeting.

4. Please briefly describe any type of technical, programmatic, advisory or other support received from WHO during the past 12 months for the implementation of the agreed activities listed above (if any).

Experts from the Center were invited to attend ISO TC 249/WG3 Quality and safety of acupuncture needles；and ISO TC 249/WG4 Quality and safety of medical devices other than acupuncture needles - 13th & 14th February 2014 in Sydney, Australia, discussing standardization issues associated with the quality and safety of acupuncture needles and the quality and safety of medical devices other than acupuncture needles.

Experts from the Center were also invited to take part in Chinese Work Group of WHO International Classification of Traditional Medicine and Chinese Work Group of WHO ICD-11 TM Project in the year of 2013, attending 3 meeting of the above-mentioned project. Classification and codes of diseases and syndromes in traditional Chinese medicine were thoroughly discussed and revealed.