"We are planning to make some changes," declared Dr Shi Jiangfeng, director of the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine in Kordin, Paola. "Presently, we offer our services at the Centre in Paola, and to the outpatients of Mater Dei in Malta and the General Hospital in Gozo. However, we also intend to extend our free acupuncture services to the in-patients at Mater Dei Hospital. Discussions with the local authorities are already underway."

Dr Shi Jiangfeng forms part of the 14th Chinese medical team who has come over to Malta to offer his services as a doctor in traditional Chinese medicine. He has 24 years experience in this sector. Together with his colleagues, Dr Qi Guanghui and Duan Jiming, he comes from Xuzhou Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. The other two doctors, Dr An Jing and Dr Wang Fei come from Yancheng Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Li Zhengya is the interpreter for this group. She is a teacher and a professor from Jiangsu Vocational College of Medicine where she teaches Medical English, Pharmaceutical English and Nursing English to students who are doctors, nurses, pharmacists, radiographers, medical technologists and cosmetologists after they graduate from college.

"All the six members of this team were selected by Jiangsu Provincial Commission of Health and Family Planning which is in charge of China Medical Teams in Malta, and all of us come from Jiangsu Province. Although it is hard to leave our families in China for a whole year, it is an honour for us to be chosen to take part in this project and our families support us," explained Dr Shi.

The Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine in Malta was established in 1994 as part of a project of cooperation between the governments of Malta and China. Along these 24 years, 14 Chinese medical teams were sent to Malta to offer their services on our islands.

"Traditional Chinese medicine treats patients with a holistic view. It holds that both man and nature, and humanity and society, compose an interrelated and indivisible whole, just as the human body itself functions as an organic whole. It stresses the influence that both our natural and social environments have on health and disease, and also how these environments directly impact human body and mind in the dynamics of health and disease, and the interaction of the body and mind in conditions of health and disease."

Several types of treatments are offered at the Centre including Acupuncture, Moxibustion, Cupping Therapy, Chinese Tuina Massage and Gua Sha.

"The good thing is that all these therapies are natural and therefore they leave no side effects. We have inherited these ancient methods from our ancestors who at the time, had no medicines to resort to. Patients who do these treatments will immediately feel the benefits of these old methods which bring relief to the person as a whole."

Next month, this medical team will be organising various events to provide information about their Centre and the treatments which they offer.

On Wednesday, 10 October from 10am to 11.30am, there will be a lecture Preventative Treatment of Traditional Chinese Medicine at the Paola Local Council. A reception with Chinese finger food will follow.

On Thursday, 11 October at their Centre in Kordin Paola, there will be two sessions. From 9 to 10.30am, the public can attend to free medical diagnoses and treatment and to a Baduanjin performance. From 10.30 - 11.30am, a consulting service will be offered. A reception with Chinese finger food will follow.

On Thursday, 11 October at 7pm, there will be a lecture The Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Chronic Diseases at the China Cultural Centre (Malta) in Valletta. This will be followed by demonstrations of Acupuncture, Chinese Tuina massage and Cupping Therapy, together with free medical diagnoses and treatment. A reception will be held after the lecture.

The main event will take place on Friday, 12 October at Mater Dei Hospital. At 11am, at the Main Reception Area on ground floor, there will be the opening ceremony of the Cultural Exhibition for Traditional Chinese Medicine Benevolence and Healing. This exhibition will remain open to the public until 10 December. At 12.30pm, a lecture Treating Inpatients with Practical TCM Treatment Techniques will be held at Seminar Room C2, opposite the chapel. A reception will be held after this lecture. The first 30 attendants will get free vouchers for a treatment session at the Centre in Kordin, Paola.

Further information may be obtained by calling the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine on 2169 1799.