Speech by Health Minister, Mr Gan Kim Yong, at the 10th ASEAN Congress of Traditional Chinese Medicine cum 3rd Asia Advanced Forum on Acupuncture-Moxibustion, 15 Dec 2012

Mr Wong Chin Nai, Chairman, 10th ASEAN Congress of Traditional Chinese Medicine cum 3rd Asia Advanced Forum on Acupuncture
Leaders and representatives from TCM organizations around the region
Ladies and Gentlemen

Good morning everyone. And to our distinguished delegates from overseas, welcome to Singapore.

2. I am pleased to join you here today at this congress, as you come together to exchange experiences and share the latest TCM findings. I would like to congratulate the Singapore Chinese Physicians’ Association (SCPA) for providing this platform for both local and foreign TCM practitioners to learn from each other.

Increasing prevalence of chronic diseases

3. According to the 2010 National Health Survey, two out of every five people over the age of 20 suffer from diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol or other chronic diseases. In Singapore, there are about 350,000 people over the age of 40 suffering from chronic diseases. This figure is increasing each year. Over the next two decades, our population will age rapidly. More than one-fifth of our population will be over 65 years old by year 2030. These dual challenges of an ageing society and increasing prevalence of chronic diseases are also faced by many developed countries today.

4. To address these challenges, the Government has stepped up efforts, building more nursing homes, senior care centres, and senior activity centres as well as enhancing our primary healthcare system, through programs like the Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS). Today, I am happy to see that through this forum, organized by the SCPA, the TCM community is also actively exploring ways in which they can contribute to the management of these healthcare issues.

TCM around the region

5. Early Chinese immigrants brought Chinese medicine along with them when they migrated to this part of the world. TCM served the needs of not only the Chinese community but also immigrants of other races. Today, TCM medical institutions and clinics can be found in many parts of Singapore as well as in many parts of ASEAN countries. The professional standards of our TCM Practitioners have also risen progressively.

6. In recent years, the WHO has been committed to the development of a global healthcare strategy in the prevention and control of diseases, as well as to ensure that people have access to medical care. Through the efforts of the WHO, national governments and non-governmental organizations, public awareness towards healthcare issues has grown. With increased awareness, the public will also demand and expect higher standards from their healthcare practitioners. To meet these challenges, the TCM community must continuously improve on professional standards, strengthen academic research and enhance academic exchange and research co-operations.

Continuing TCM Education (CTE)

7. Therefore, my Ministry and the Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners Board (TCMPB) have been engaging the TCM community, including some of you here today, on a voluntary continuing education programme for TCM practitioners. Continuing TCM education through regular training courses will enable our TCM practitioners to possess updated and relevant professional knowledge, to keep pace with continuous changes in the TCM landscape. For example, I announced in September this year that Chinese Proprietary Medicines (CPM) containing berberine, such as capsules, oral liquid preparations, powders and granules used by TCM practitioners in their dispensing, will be allowed starting 1 January 2013. With this, TCM practitioners will be able to tap on a wider variety of medication to treat patients more effectively, but this is only possible if TCM practitioners are equipped with the necessary knowledge about CPM containing berberine. It is thus important for TCM practitioners to be constantly in the know about the applications and regulations of TCM medicines, in order to utilise them appropriately, competently and responsibly.

8. Continuing TCM education is also integral to professional development, and will help raise practice standards to strengthen patients’ confidence in the quality of care. I encourage TCM practitioners to continue learning under the CTE programmes, and I hope that TCM medical and educational institutions can play their part through organizing high quality and affordable courses. Only then can the CTE programme achieve the desired objectives I have spoken about.

New research grant for TCM research

9. I would also like to encourage these institutions to explore scientific methods in carrying out research on the safety and effectiveness of TCM treatments. This will help healthcare administrators and the public make more informed decisions and provide clinically-proven, cost-effective TCM treatment to serve the healthcare needs of the public more efficiently.

10. To kick start research efforts, my Ministry will be setting up a new research grant for researchers interested in collaborating with TCM institutions to carry out TCM clinical research tailored to Singapore’s context. The focus of such research initiatives should be on conditions which are prevalent in Singapore, such as chronic diseases, so that TCM can work alongside western medicine to improve patient outcomes. This is in line with our objectives of providing quality care through our healthcare system and meeting the needs of our ageing population. It is hoped that the healthcare community will actively heed this call and form effective partnerships to conduct this research. Greater understanding between both the TCM and western schools of medicine can then be forged, and we can work towards more holistic care for patients.

Closing

11. Finally, I would like to thank the Singapore Chinese Physicians Association for organizing this forum. I am very confident that through this platform, participants will benefit from the academic exchanges, as well as take this opportunity to establish networks with experts from other regions. I hope that, by working together, TCM sector can reach new heights to better serve the healthcare needs of our people in future.

12. Thank you.

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《第10届亚细安中医药学术大会暨第3届亚洲针灸高层论坛》

卫生部长颜金勇 致辞全文

2012年12月15日，早上9点

第10届亚细安中医药学术大会暨第3届亚洲针灸高层论坛组委会主席黄进来会长

各位亚细安和国际中医药界的领导和代表们

各位嘉宾

先生们、女士们

1. 大家早上好！首先让我欢迎大家参加第10届亚细安中医药学术大会暨第3届亚洲针灸高层论坛， 我要特别欢迎海外嘉宾来到新加坡，希望大家在参加大会之余，能有时间游览新加坡，也欣赏我国的多元文化，品尝各色美味佳肴。

2. 今天，我很高兴能与大家参加此大会。我恭贺新加坡中医师公会，能为本地和海外的中医从业者举办这交流和互相学习的平台。

慢性病上升的趋势

3. 人口逐渐老龄化和慢性病相应的上升是各国普遍面临的问题。我国也不例外，到了2030年，65岁以上的年龄层预计将增加三倍，占总人口的五分之一。根据我国2010年全国健康调查，每5名20岁以上的国人中，就有两名患有糖尿病、高血压或 高胆固醇等慢性疾病。其中40岁以上患有慢性病的国人，就约有35万人，而这数目正逐年上升。许多发达国家也面对同样的挑战。

4. 为了应付这些改变所带来的挑战，政府已计划设立更多疗养院、乐龄护理中心和乐龄活动中心以及探讨如何改造基层医疗领域，以全面有效地帮助国人过健康的生活。今天, 这个由新加坡中医师公会承办的学术大会，以“发展中医事业，维护人类健康”作为大会的主题，正反映了中医界也对这个全球性的卫生保健课题，做出积极的贡献。

中医药在国内外的情况

5. 早期华族从中国移民到亚洲地区，带来了保健治病的中医学知识，不分种族，施医赠药，协助贫困病黎的早期移民。如今，在我国和亚细安的各角落，中医院和中医诊所到处林立，中医药服务也日益扩大。中医师的专业水准也逐渐系统化和规范化。

6. 世界卫生组织近年来致力于制定全球保健策略、以预防和控制疾病、并确保各国人民获得必需的医疗和药物，同时建立全球伙伴关系。通过世界卫生组织和各国政府、民间组织的努力，提高了公众对保健的意识。因此，现在公众对于整体医疗领域的专业水准要求亦大大的提高。今后的中医师必须不断提高专业水准，加强中医学术研究，加深学术交流与科研合作。

中医继续教育课程

7. 因此，卫生部与中医管理委员会就施行中医自愿延续教育课程进行一系列的探讨，也向中医界收集意见，相信在座的一些中医师也参与了讨论。中医管理委员会将通过中医延续教育项目框架，鼓励中医执业者继续学习，以获得最新的中医知识和讯息，与时并进。这将有助于确保我们的中医师能配合中医药的发展。在今年的9月份，我公布含有小檗碱的中成药将在明年1月1日解禁。中医师在行医时将能拥有更多的 治疗选择，更有效的为病人提供医疗服务。可是，由于被禁用已久，有些中医师可能需要再掌握好对小檗碱的认识，才能安全并有效的使用它。由此可见，要作为一名称职的中医师，就必须不断的获得关于中医药最新用处和法规的相关知识。

8. 中医延续教育课程对发展中医药行业和提高专业水准起着重要的作用，也加强病人对中医药保健治疗系统的信心。与此同时，中医教育团体及有关组织也必须同心协力为中医师们提供实惠以及高素质的中医延续教育课程及讲座。这样才能达到开办延续教育的目的，把新加坡中医药事业推向另一个高峰。

中医科研

9. 我也鼓励中医院和中医院校开发科研，以科学的方法证实疗法的安全和功效。这将会为医疗卫生业者和公众提供参考信息，也帮助大家更有把握选择最合适有效的治疗方案。

10. 为了启动我国的中医科研，政府将拨款给有兴趣与中医团体合作的科研人员，研究探讨中医中药如何能应对国人所关注的卫生保健课题。科研的焦点应该围绕在新加坡所面临的挑战，如慢性病，以让中医药能和西医治疗过程相辅相成，提高疗效。这正符合卫生部提供高素质医疗服务的宗旨，应对人口老龄化所带来的问题。我希望通过中西医专家的携手钻研，能提高中医的先进性，科学性，和实用性。中西医的合作也能促进医学思维的交流，从而增进彼此的了解和认识，为我们的健康做出更大的贡献。

11. 最后，我要谢谢中医师公会举办此大会和论坛。我深信，在这次的学术交流中，中医业者会对中医现代化的发展与最新的临床研究动向有更深入的了解。希望通过携手合作，建立网络，能够在未来的日子里，让本区域的中医能攀上新的高峰，更努力的为广大民众提供优质的服务。

12. 谢谢！

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