The 4th Meeting of The Sino-Singapore Committee on TCM Cooperation, and The Signing of The 3rd Plan of Cooperation In TCM

21 Jun 2005

By Dr Balaji Sadasivan, Senior Minister of State, Ministry of Information, Communications and The Arts and Health

Venue: Beijing

Honourable Prof She Jing

Vice Minister, Ministry of Health, PRC

Director General, State Administration of TCM

Ladies and Gentlemen

I am very happy to join you today at the Fourth Meeting of the Sino-Singapore Committee on TCM Cooperation and the signing of the Third Plan of Cooperation on TCM for 2005 to 2008. 

I still remember during the Third Meeting of the Sino-Singapore Committee on TCM Cooperation held in Singapore in 2002, Vice Minister She Jing and I agreed that both Singapore and PRC should continue to build on our warm working relationship and fine spirit of cooperation, so that we can carry on the mutual exchange of information and expertise on matters pertaining to the regulation, teaching and practice of TCM in our countries as provided for under the Memorandum of Understanding on TCM Cooperation signed here 6 years ago in 1999.

We were hoping to meet here in 2003, but SARS has delayed our plans. I am glad we made it today - better late than never. On behalf of the Ministry of Health, I wish to thank Vice Minister She Jing and the delegation from SATCM, for the warm hospitality shown to us here in Beijing.

Statutory Registration of TCM Practitioners

There have been many changes in the area of TCM in Singapore since the signing of the MOU in 1999. With the able assistance from SATCM, various acupuncture and TCM upgrading training courses, appraisals and qualifying examinations were conducted smoothly under the transitional arrangement. This enabled the successful registration of acupuncturists and TCM physicians since 2001. To date, about 1,400 acupuncturists and 1,800 TCM physicians have been registered with the TCM Practitioners Board.

With the completion of the transitional arrangement on 1 Jan 2004, those who wish to practice TCM in Singapore have to possess TCM qualifications approved by the TCM Practitioners Board and pass the Singapore TCM Physicians Registration Examination before they are eligible for registration.

Let me take this opportunity to thank SATCM for sending TCM experts to assist MOH and the TCM Practitioners Board all these years. In particular, I would like to thank SATCM for sending two experts to the first Singapore TCM Physicians Registration Examination, which was conducted successfully in September last year. We hope SATCM can continue to help us in the second Examination to be held in September this year.

Voluntary Listing of Herbal Dispensers

In line with our efforts to ensure that Singaporeans receive safe TCM treatment by qualified and registered TCM practitioners, a formal training course for herbal dispensers was started in July 2002 in collaboration with Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (BUCM). This course aims to upgrade the standards of herbal dispensers in line with that of TCM practitioners. Graduates of the course will be conferred a joint diploma with BUCM and be listed with the TCM Practitioners Board, in preparation for future statutory registration. The first batch of about 170 trainees will graduate in December this year.

Let me also take this opportunity to thank SATCM for the advice and assistance rendered to us in the planning and conduct of this training course. I hope you will continue to assist us in the future, especially in the planning and conduct of examinations and appraisals required for the registration of herbal dispensers when the need arises.

Conclusion

Thank you again, Vice Minister She Jing, and the delegation from SATCM. I hope that the signing of the Third Plan of Cooperation on TCM will further strengthen the already warm bilateral ties between Singapore and PRC, especially in the area of TCM cooperation.