Hong Kong Global Summit on Chinese Medicine and Integrative Medicine opens today (with photos)
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The Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, officiated at the opening ceremony of the inaugural Hong Kong Global Summit on Chinese Medicine and Integrative Medicine today (July 4). Organised by the Health Bureau and hosted by The Chinese Medicine Hospital of Hong Kong (CMHHK), the two-day summit themed “Holistic Care, Inspiring Teaching, Innovative Research” brings together local, Mainland and international experts and scholars to explore the development of Chinese medicine (CM) and integrative medicine and to foster cross-regional collaborations.
Professor Lo; Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and National Medicine Master Professor Wang Qi; Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering Professor Zhu Liguo; National Medicine Master Professor Zhou Daihan; the Responsible Person of the Social Development Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Mr Ye Shuiqiu; the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of CMHHK Operator, Mr Wong Kwai-huen, and the Hospital Chief Executive of CMHHK, Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, jointly inaugurated the summit today. The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for the Western Pacific, Dr Saia Ma’u Piukala, also delivered a video speech to wish the summit great success.
Professor Lo said, “This summit provides an ideal environment to drive the development of traditional interventions towards evidence-based medicine, bringing together local, Mainland, and international experts to share their practical experience and research findings, and fostering cross-regional collaborations. Looking forward, we will continue to leverage Hong Kong’s unique advantages of having strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle to better integrate into and serve the overall national development, while strengthening Hong Kong’s important role as the international gateway that supports CM to go global and contributes to the national development of CM.”
Professor Lo announced, “To meet keen public demand and prepare for the launch of 24-hour inpatient services this December, CMHHK will, with effect from today, increase the quota for government-subsidised outpatient services for the fourth time. It is expected that the total service volume in its first year of operation will more than double the original plan. Moreover, starting this month, CMHHK will launch a series of special disease programmes. The hospital will first introduce post-stroke care and low back pain care, with a view to developing a ‘Hong Kong model’ for integrated Chinese-Western medicine services (ICWM).”
During the summit, CMHHK also implemented the establishment of partnership with hospitals from four provinces and municipalities on the Mainland, namely Beijing Municipality, Shanghai Municipality, Henan Province and Foshan of Guangdong Province. CMHHK has earlier entered into 16 collaboration agreements with local universities, key hospitals from Mainland provinces and municipalities, as well as international institutions. CMHHK will continue to take forward its development strategy of promoting cross-regional and multi-institutional collaborations in an orderly manner.
In addition, CMHHK took the lead at today’s summit in establishing the Preparatory Committee for the International Consortium of Herb-Drug Interaction, marking a crucial step forward in fostering international research collaboration on herb-drug interactions and promoting the development of integrative medicine. The Preparatory Committee comprises representatives from multiple local, Mainland and international (including Australia, Germany, Korea and Malaysia) institutions, laying the foundation for the establishment of the International Consortium of Herb-Drug Interaction (Consortium).
Professor Lo said, “The establishment of the Consortium will drive the development of evidence-based information on herb-drug interactions, enhancing the safety and efficiency of healthcare practices in ICWM services while providing guidance to clinical practice in concurrent use of herbal medicines and conventional drug. I am delighted to see CMHHK taking the lead in establishing the Preparatory Committee today. I look forward to the Preparatory Committee bringing together the expertise and strengths of different regions and institutions, with a view to the official launch of the Consortium next year.”
The summit is being held at CMHHK in both physical and online formats today and tomorrow, with over 40 experts, scholars and industry leaders from various fields locally (including the Hospital Authority and local universities), on the Mainland (including Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, Shanghai and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area) and overseas (including the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, Germany and Korea) serving as guest speakers. They include Academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, National Medicine Masters, National Famous Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners and representatives of the WHO, who will share their insights on topics such as clinical experience in specialised diseases, herb-drug interactions, and CM practicum and clinical training. For more information, please visit the CMHHK website.