SPEECH BY DR AMY KHOR, SENIOR MINISTER OF STATE, MINISTRY OF THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER RESOURCES AND MINISTRY OF HEALTH, AT THE SINGAPORE CHINESE MEDICAL UNION 90TH ANNIVERSARY, 20 OCTOBER 2019

新加坡中医中药联合会郭俊缃主席
Mr Kok Choon Siong, President of the Singapore Chinese Medical Union

各位中医界的领导

Leaders of the TCM community

各位来宾

Distinguished guests

1.      大家晚上好！今天我很荣幸能与大家齐聚一堂来庆祝新加坡中医中药联合会成立90周年。通过举办公众讲座，在邻里开办推拿中心，和去年开设新中医诊所，新加坡中医中药联合会在新加坡中医药的发展与进步方面扮演了重要的角色。对贵会在社区活动的积极参与，卫生部亦表示肯定与感谢。

          Good evening. I am honoured to be here today to join you in celebration of Singapore Chinese Medical Union’s (SCMU) 90^th anniversary. SCMU has played a significant role in the development and improvement of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in Singapore, through organising educational talks, providing Tuina services in the community, and the opening of a new clinic last year. The Ministry of Health (MOH) is appreciative of the active role that SCMU has played in engaging the community.

2.       新加坡正面临人口老龄化及慢性疾病日益普遍的趋势。中医药以其独特防治疾病的理论和方法，可继续扮演重要的辅助角色。

          As Singapore faces the challenge of an ageing population and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, TCM continues to play an important complementary role, given its unique approach towards disease prevention and management.

3.       尽管中医药的理论与治疗方法是数千年临床经验的累积和总结，随着时代的进步，中医药也应该与时俱进，尝试以现代研究来验证中医药的疗效。卫生部自2014年推出的八百万元中医药研究基金，旨在鼓励公共医疗机构或高等学府与中医机构之间的研究合作。在前三次的招标活动中，卫生部已向11个获准项目颁发了一共两百六十万元。通过这样的合作，我们希望西医可以多了解中医，而中医师也可以借此机会接触并学习临床研究的方法。研究项目的成果也可以让卫生部和公众更加了解哪些中医的治疗是行之有效的。这对于中医药在新加坡日后的持续发展是重要的一环。我很高兴中医药研究基金继续获得各机构的热烈回应。在第四次招标活动中，我们在一共收到的21份科研提案当中，有七份候选提案。我们将在年底前通知成功获选者。

          Although TCM treatment draws from thousands of years of clinical experience, there is a need for TCM to evolve with the times and to validate these practices with research. The $8 million TCM Research Grant launched by MOH in 2014 aims to promote research collaborations between public healthcare institutions or institutions of higher learning, and TCM institutions. A total of $2.6 million has been awarded to 11 proposals shortlisted from three grant calls. Through such collaborations, we hope that western doctors will be able to understand more about TCM, and TCM practitioners (TCMPs) can be exposed to clinical research. The outcomes of the research projects will also help to better inform MOH and the public on the efficacy of TCM treatments. This is crucial to ensure the long-term sustainability of TCM in Singapore. I am happy that we continue to receive good response from the TCM community for the MOH TCM Research Grant. At the recent fourth grant call, a total of 21 proposals were received and seven have been shortlisted for award. Successful applicants will be informed on the outcome by end of the year.

4.      为支持中医从业者的技能与能力发展，卫生部也推出了中医药发展补助金。至今，补助金已协助了16家中医诊所提升诊所设施。这包括了增设乐龄和感染控制相关的设施，以及从传统的纸笔医疗记录转换为电子诊所管理系统。补助金也协助了中医机构举办七项中医药会议及论坛，并在2018年帮助了超过400名中医师抵消延续教育课程的部分费用。

     MOH has also established the TCM Development Grant (TCMDG) to support the development of the TCM industry and provide co-funding for the training and professional development of all registered TCMPs. To date, the TCMDG has supported 16 TCM clinics in upgrading their clinic and IT facilities, which includes the addition of elderly friendly facilities, enhanced clinic facilities for better infection control and the use of an electronic clinic management system instead of keeping pen and paper medical records. The TCMDG has also supported the organisation of seven TCM conferences and forums, and in 2018, supported over 400 TCMPs with their CPE course fees.

5.       随着中医师法令的修改，强制性中医延续教育将在明年实行。我鼓励延续教育课程的组办机构利用中医药发展补助金，为中医师们举办高素质且负担的起的延续教育课程。中医师们也可以申请补助金来抵消百分之八十（80%）的上课费用，每年顶限两百元。我很高兴得知新加坡中医中药联合会也是认证的中医继续教育的培训机构之一，希望贵会继续积极举办各类课程及活动以协助中医执业医师的专业提升。

         With the amended TCM Practitioners Act, Continuing Professional Education (CPE) will become compulsory next year. I encourage all CPE course providers to tap on the TCMDG to organise high quality CPE courses while keeping course fees affordable for TCMPs. For individual TCMPs, you can make use of the grant to offset 80% of your course expenses, up to a maximum of $200 per year. I understand that SCMU is an accredited CPE course provider and I hope that it will continue to organise quality CPE courses and activities to support our TCMPs’ learning to raise professional standards of TCM.

6.        为确保中医师们可以满足强制性延续教育的要求，中医管理委员会也检讨了延续教育的得分框架，让中医师们能更灵活地管理和安排自己的学习。例如：在新框架下，中医师将能够通过临床跟诊的方式，跟经验丰富及受认可的临床导师学习，并获得延续教育分数。中医师甚至可以通过自修网上的中医课程或视频来获取分数。在强制性延续教育实行的前几年，我们将密切观察实际情况。有必要时，检讨如何进一步帮助中医师满足学习要求，包括提高中医药发展补助金对中医师上延续教育课程的津贴。

        In order to ensure that TCMPs can cope with fulfilling CPE requirements, MOH and the TCMP Board have also reviewed the CPE point awarding framework to provide greater flexibility for TCMPs to manage their own learning. For example, TCMPs will be able to accrue CPE points through clinical mentorship with an experienced and accredited mentor, or through self-study of online TCM courses or videos. In the initial years of compulsory CPE, we will monitor the progress closely and see how we can further support TCMPs, including enhancing TCMDG support for TCMPs to attend CPE courses, if needed.

7.       除了通过强制性延续教育来提升中医的专业水平，修改的中医师法令也将更好地保障病人的利益和安全，以及加强纪律框架的及时性和公平性。当我们努力提升中医师的专业形象和水平之际，这些修改是有必要的。中医界在许多国人的心目中已建立了良好的声誉。我们必须确保中医管理委员会有足够的权力对行业中少数的不当行为给予适当的惩罚，以维护中医师的声誉和专业。

         Besides raising professional standards through compulsory CPE, the amended TCMP Act will also better protect patients’ interest and safety, as well as improve the timeliness and fairness of the disciplinary framework for TCMPs. These changes are important as we strive to improve the professional image and standards of TCMPs. The TCM community has built a good reputation among many Singaporeans, and we want to ensure that the TCMP Board is adequately empowered to safeguard the reputation and uphold the professionalism of our TCMPs, by awarding penalties appropriate for ill practices committed by a small minority.

8.       中医业的发展和进步需要一个过程和整个中医界的集体努力。我希望在推动中医药未来发展的道路上，继续得到大家的支持。

        The development and improvement of TCM practice require time and the collective effort of the entire TCM community. We hope to have your continued support as we press on with our efforts to bring the TCM industry to greater heights.

9.       最后，我敬祝中医中药联合会百尺竿头，更进一步。祝愿大家身体健康，有个愉快的夜晚。谢谢！

          In closing, I hope that SCMU will continue to achieve new milestones, and I wish all of you good health, and an enjoyable evening. Thank you.