2020-08-21
Dr. Nina Kao Hsiao-Ling, CEO of Overseas Medical Mission Center, CCH

Dr. Huang Sung-Yen, Director of  Chinese Medicine Department of CCH shared the experience of using Chinese Medicine as treatment in Coronavirus cases

A novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has rapidly become the pandemic responsible for the current global health crisis. Except for the specific drugs and vaccines are undergoing development. Any innovations around the world including traditional and alternative medicines are in the search for potential treatments for COVID-19. On August 19, Changhua Christian Hospital (CCH), Department of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy in Ministry of Health and Welfare (MoHW), Taiwan and Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine, Department of Traditional and Alternative Medicine (DTAM), MoPH Thailand co-hosted the online seminar with the topic “Does Traditional and Alternative Medicine Work in COVID-19 Prevention?". In this seminar, we invited speakers Dr. Su Yi-Chang, Director of National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, MoHW, Dr. Huang Sung-Yen, Director of Chinese Medicine Department, CCH, and Dr. Khwanchai Visithanon, Director of Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine, DTAM, MoPH to share the academic research and clinic practices in traditional medicine intervention on COVID-19 treatment and prevention, and find the opportunities and challenges of marketing the traditional Chinese medicine to ASEAN countries. Around 165 participants from medical industries, public and private health sectors joined the online seminar and interacted with speakers very actively. Also, near 240 participants join the FB live stream to view the seminar.

Opening remarks by Dr. Huang Yi-Tsau,  Director of Department of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan

Opening remarks by Dr. Tran Minh-Ngoc, Vice General Director, Administration of Traditional Medicine of Vietnam 

At the beginning of the seminar, Dr. Huang Yi-Tsau, Director of Department of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, MoHW, Taiwan, Dr. Tran Minh-Ngoc, Vice General Director, Administration of Traditional Medicine of Vietnam and Dr. Francis, the Head of Social Advocacy and Training of Philippines Institute for Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) were invited to join and give opening remarks. Dr. Huang mentioned that it’s valuable through the online seminar to share the epidemic against experience and build a cooperative network with other countries. Dr. Tarn mentioned very grateful to have the opportunity to learn from Taiwan, Thailand, and other countries. Dr. Francis then appreciated the organizer for hosting this significant event at this important moment. 

Seminar moderator, Dr. Nina Kao, Overseas Medical Mission Center of CCH

The first speaker, Dr. Su Yi-Chang, Director of National Research Institute of Chinese Medicine, MoHW said that Taiwan is a small island though, more research outcomes and samples are needed for clinical application. However, patients with symptoms of COVID-19 became less serious and their heartbeat and blood pressure turned stable after the intervention of Chinese Medicine. That means Chinese medicine as the treatment for Covid-19 in Taiwan has been clinically effective. As the second speaker, Dr. Huang Sung-Yen, Director of the Chinese Medicine Department of CCH explained that there were 6 patients with Covid-19 infections treated by CCH, using both Chinese and conventional medicine. Chinese medicine therapy effectively cut down the process of deterioration and never seen pulmonary fibrosis on chest CT when follow-up. They were all eventually discharged. The last speaker Dr. Khwanchai Visithanon, Director of the Traditional Medicine Institute of the Department of Traditional Medicine, MoPH of Thailand, illustrated that Thai traditional medicine has been using for a long time. It is an ancient text and records much information about disease-related prevention and treatment, so it needs to be translated before clinical research. So far, doctors of traditional medicine in Thailand are unable to enter the hospital and integrate with Western medicine to take care of patients. Therefore, a network of traditional medicine clinics was established during the pandemic period to serve the people in the community. From March to May this year, more than 1,000 cases were diagnosed and treated.

After the presentation of three speakers, plenty of opinions, and feedback from participants. The three reactors included Mr. Multani, Chairman of Multani Pharmaceuticals Limited in India, Chinhwa Cheng, the senior researcher of Medical and Pharmaceutical Industry Technology and Development Center(MPIDTC), and Mr. Simon Wong, QA Manager of King To Nin Jiom Medicine MAF. were invited to feedback. Chairman Multani said that Ayurveda in India is also used to fight the Covid-19 epidemic, and the herbs commonly used by Indians, which is the most natural treatments to fight off disease and strengthen the immune system. Mr. Simon Wong, QA Manager shared that some of the products of King To Nin Jiom Medicine MAF. has the effect to relieve the syndrome caused by COVID-19, such as fever, cold syndrome, headache, thirst, cough, and sore throat. One of the ingredients is Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, the main effect of it is anti-inflammatory, as well as anti-virus and bacteria. In the future, it is planned to promote the product to ASEAN countries and even the world. Chinhwa Cheng, the senior researcher noted that there are many great Chinese Medicine products in Taiwan, but due to the restrictions of laws and regulations, they cannot be exported to foreign countries. 

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 epidemic, CCH has hosted eight online seminars on Webinars on "The Response to COVID-19 in Taiwan and Smart Healthcare Technology". in each session, attracted lots of participants from medical industries, health professionals, public and private health sectors including Thailand, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines, Papua New Guinea, India, and Malaysia joined the online seminar. It successfully demonstrated the academic and clinical outcomes in the effectiveness of TCM on epidemic prevention and treatment in Taiwan. View the whole seminar please access to YouTube: https://youtu.be/udhV7O8O4-E 

Group photo with Dr. Huang after seminar

Participants of online seminar

Dr. Khwanchai Visithanon, Director of Institute of Thai Traditional Medicine, Department of Traditional and Alternative Medicine(DTAM), MoPH Thailand shared the traditional

Mr. Multani, Chairman of Multani Pharmaceuticals Limited in India gave feedback and share the intervention of Ayurveda in Coronavirus prevention 

Feedback by Mr. Simon Wong, QA Manager of King to Nin Jiom Medicine MAF. 

Online seminar working team