Zimbabwe's first locally trained acupuncturists graduate

medical worker displays his certificate during a graduation ceremony

HARARE, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- A group of 10 medical workers graduated from a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and acupuncture personnel training course here on Monday, becoming Zimbabwe's first medical workers to complete such training.

The training program of over four months, held at the TCM and Acupuncture Center at the Parirenyatwa Hospital in Harare, comprised of theory and practice, and included basic operation of acupuncture and moxibustion as well as diagnosis and treatment of diseases.

The program was funded by the National Health Commission of the People's Republic of China and coordinated by the Hunan Provincial Health Commission and the Hunan Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

Zhu Wei, a TCM doctor and instructor of the program, congratulated the students on completing the course, expressing hope that they will consciously apply what they have learned in this training class to practical work.

Zimbabwe's Vice President and Health Minister Constantino Chiwenga said that China has offered valuable lessons with regards to the development and promotion of the TCM.

"Zimbabwe has drawn lessons from the Chinese experience in the endeavor to integrate traditional medicine into the mainstream of healthcare," he said.

Since the opening of the TCM and Acupuncture Center in 2021, more than 5,000 people have received medical care free of charge.