Speech by Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Health, at the International Conference on "Collaboration of Western and TCM to provide Paediatric Services", 22 July 2018

Mrs Yu-Foo Yee Shoon,
Chairman of the TCM Practitioners Board,

Professor Wang Shou Chuan,
Chairperson,
Paediatrics Specialty Committee of World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies, 

Dr Ang Liang,
Vice Chairperson,
Paediatrics Specialty Committee of World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies,
President of the Academy of Chinese Medicine, Singapore, 

Distinguished Speakers,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

            A very good morning to all of you. To our distinguished guests from around the world, a warm welcome to Singapore. It gives me great pleasure to join you here this morning. We are privileged to have with us today, eminent practitioners and academics, to share with us the latest developments in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) paediatrics.

2          Even as TCM plays a complementary role to mainstream medicine, its unique healthcare treatment approach will continue to be relevant and play an important role in meeting the healthcare needs of our population.

3          Today, TCM modalities such as acupuncture and tuina help address various healthcare concerns of our ageing population. In addition, TCM is also helpful for children. TCM views the body constitution of children as delicate as their organs are still developing, rendering them vulnerable to falling sick. Childhood ailments that may be treated with TCM include respiratory and gastrointestinal issues, such as poor appetite, gastroenteritis, common flu, chronic cough and allergic rhinitis.

4          Many parents do not want their young children to be heavily medicated, and thus turn to TCM as the natural treatment alternative to maintain their children’s health. For example, TCM “paediatric tuina” has gained popularity among Singaporeans with young children. More parents are bringing their children for paediatric tuina which aims to help improve children’s immunity and overall development. While TCM paediatric tuina is non-invasive and safe when administered by trained and registered TCM practitioners, the Ministry of Health and the TCM community recognise that evidence-based research is key to supporting the development of TCM paediatrics and contributing to better outcomes for patients. 

5          For instance, dry eye is a medical condition common among the middle-aged population. Recognising the potential of TCM in addressing this condition in a more holistic approach, the Singapore Eye Research Institution (SERI) and Singapore Chung Hwa Medical Institution (SCHMI) embarked on a three-year collaborative clinical trial to develop a treatment that combines the benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and modern medicine. This study, supported by MOH TCM Research Grant, involved patients aged 40 to 85 with symptoms such as irritation or burning in the eyes. The use of both acupuncture and lubricant eye drops was found to be more effective than the use of eye drops alone, and acupuncture helped to also reduce inflammation in the eyes. We would like to encourage more research on TCM paediatric tuina to deepen our understanding and to ascertain its efficacy, so that more children may benefit from such treatment. 

6          With increasing use of TCM treatments in Singapore and rising patient expectations, the practice of TCM must evolve and find better, more effective approaches to disease prevention and management. Besides engaging in collaborative research between public healthcare institutions, TCM institutions and institutes of higher learning, we should also learn best practices from our peers from abroad. 

7          I am happy to note that since the Academy of Chinese Medicine, Singapore was established in October 2015, it has signed MOUs with prestigious TCM universities such as the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine in China. Through these MOUs, the Academy aims to raise the standards of TCM education and clinical research, and promote globalisation of TCM. The Academy of Chinese Medicine, Singapore (ACMS) has also been developing continuing TCM education programmes for our practitioners. I would like to commend ACMS’ good efforts, and I hope that they will continue their good work in enhancing TCM education and research standards.

8          现在，请允许我用中文说几句话。

9          大家早上好！我很高兴受邀参加由世界中医药学会联合会和新加坡中医药研究院联合主办、马来西亚南方大学学院协办的这项大会。

10         中医，除了能协助缓解人口老龄化和慢性病增加的医疗难题以外，我国越来越多年轻家长也开始接受并使用中医小儿推拿，相信由注册中医师执的行推拿能改善孩子的免疫能力和整体发展。我们希望鼓励更多相关研究以加强对小儿推拿的可信度和可靠性，让更多的孩子能从中受益。

11         我相信参与者将从学术大会中获益不浅，并于各地儿科专家建立友好关系，以促进中医儿科的发展。祝大家有个充实的一天。