Chongqing- As traditional Chinese medicine contributes to the country's soft power, Chongqing aims to go abroad to conduct medical exchanges with its abundant traditional resources, said Li Yanping, deputy to the National People's Congress and Chief Physician of Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

"Chongqing is originally a large city of traditional Chinese medicine resources, where many districts and counties have their local medical materials," said Li. "We have the responsibility to promote it to the world."

Traditional Chinese medicine goes global 

"Our country is the birthplace of traditional Chinese medicine, so we have the most speaking right of it," said Li. "Over the years, the Chinese medicines resources protection has been highly valued at the national level."

Li thinks that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been the country's treasure for thousands of years and manifests China's soft power. "As Chinese medicine practitioners, we should tell its story to the world."

Talking about the interchange with other countries, Li mentioned the cooperation of Chongqing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine with Singapore. 

Due to its geographical location, Singapore belongs to the subtropical zone. "The seasons are not distinct in Singapore, plus the hot climate, so we say in Chinese medicine words that the damp-heat is relatively heavy," she said. 

"We share with some of our Chinese medicine to strengthen the spleen and resolve dampness with them, which is very marketable in Singapore," she added. 

In the future, Li hopes that Chongqing could go out of the country to promote the knowledge and culture of traditional Chinese medicine. Meanwhile, it will also invite overseas medical experts to China for academic exchanges. 

"Through such interaction between two countries, the concept of traditional Chinese medicine should be deepened not only in China but also in the world," she addressed. 

In the fifth annual session of the 13th National People's Congress, Li will continue to put forward proposals on the traditional Chinese medicine's branches, encompassing talents training, the addition of TCM to home care, the protection of minors, and others. 

Elderly care getting attention

With the increasing aging process in China, elderly care is getting more attention than before. "As a medical worker, I've been working hard on this for many years," said Li. 

Chongqing now has 32.05 million permanent residents, of which 7.01 million are people aged 60 or above (21.87%), including 5.47 million people aged 65 or above (17.08%), citing data from the seventh national census released last year.

Based on this situation, Li proposed the necessity of system construction for the elderly, specifically setting up Geriatrics in medical institutions. 

Li witnesses some underlying high incidence of diseases of the elderly, especially hypertension and cardiopathy. This makes her believe if there are some disciplines about geriatrics to support in the hospital, the doctors can provide timely and quality medical services for them. 

"There are also some elderly people who may have some chronic diseases but do not need to go the hospital in time so that they can be maintained and recuperated at home," she continued. 

For this particular group of elderly, Li also proposed the concept of home care or community care. 

"This group can be taken care of at home or community," she said. "Some health guidance, dietary guidance, health monitoring, can be carried out in our home and communities, instead of the hospital."

A relevant survey shows that 90% of the aged received community-based home care, 7% received community care, and 3% received institution-based care.

The convenient access to medical treatment is also essential in communities for the aged, allowing them to move into their home and communities, said Li.