MOH Signed Third Plan of Cooperation in TCM with PRC's State Administration of TCM in Beijing

21 Jun 2005

Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of State (Ministry of Health and Ministry of Information, Communication and the Arts) signed the 3rd Plan of Cooperation (POC) in the area of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with PRC's State Administration of TCM (SATCM) in Beijing today. Prof She Jing, PRC's Vice Minister for Health and Director General of SATCM signed the POC on behalf of PRC.

This is part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed between Ministry of Health (MOH) and SATCM in 1999, which provides for the 3-yearly POC, and an annual meeting of the Sino-Singapore Committee on TCM Cooperation held alternately between Singapore and PRC.

Dr Balaji led Singapore's delegation at the 4th meeting of the Committee, which was also held in Beijing today.

The MOU aims to formulate cooperation plans and facilitate the mutual exchange of information and expertise on matters pertaining to the teaching, practice and regulation of TCM between the two countries. Under the MOU and POC, PRC TCM experts have been invited to Singapore to assist MOH and the TCM Practitioners Board in the upgrading training and examination of TCM practitioners as part of the registration of TCM practitioners since 1999. In return, health management training programmes have been conducted both in Singapore and in PRC for senior PRC TCM officials.

Dr Balaji is accompanied by MOH officials. The delegation will visit Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, China Academy of TCM and its affiliate Guang An Men Hospital, before returning to Singapore on 23 Jun 2005.