Another health summit is taking place in Cebu as professors of Fujian University on Traditional Chinese Medicine are coming to teach Cebuano medical personnel their invaluable knowledge on traditional Chinese medicine.
Gov. Gwen Garcia, in a media briefing on Friday, January 3, said the Capitol and FU-TCM are yet to agree on the date of the summit, but added that she intends to carry this out as soon as possible so that TCM can be integrated into the Capitol’s Sugubsog backyard gardening initiative and in training the barangay health workers in the Province on alternative health care.
“These medical plants are readily available and can be planted together with our Sugbusog Program. It’s accessible, especially to the poor,” she said.
The Sugbusog Program, which aims to promote food security, also focuses on nurturing medicinal plants that could combat common diseases, thus providing affordable healthcare alternative, especially in rural areas during the pandemic when it was first launched.
This collaboration between Cebu Province and FU-TCM was earlier agreed during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2024 during Gov. Garcia’s visit to Fujian, China.
The MOU establishes a partnership to integrate the TCM into Cebu’s healthcare system. The Cebu delegation also toured FU-TCM’s museum, which showcased the history of traditional Chinese health care, dating over 3,000 years back.
Two years ago, Cebu Province has also collaborated with the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) in training the barangay health workers the use of alternative medicines and alternative health care, which is cheaper and more affordable, yet as effective as using modern medicine.
Gov. Garcia’s initiative to blend TCM among health practitioners in the Province reflects her commitment to enhancing healthcare options for Cebuanos, especially in underserved communities. | JMT
