Many patients are unable to get complementary medicine treatment as traditional and complementary medicine (TCM) practitioners are not allowed to operate during the current movement control order (MCO 3.0).
DAP Seputeh MP Teresa Kok and four Chinese TCM practitioners (picture above) urged the government to allow the industry to operate during this MCO 3.0.
In a press conference held in Kok’s office, they revealed that they have been receiving treatment requests from patients since the total lockdown was implemented earlier on June 1.
Chok Ng Soo, a Chinese TCM practitioner who operates a clinic in Kuala Lumpur, said that his clinic has more than 10 stroke patients who need complementary treatment. However, they can’t get follow-up treatment due to this MCO.
He explained that TCM practitioners apply acupuncture and tuina (Chinese therapeutic massage) therapy which will activate blood circulation and are helpful for stroke recovery.
Chok is worried that if a stroke patient is treated late, his or her muscles will become stiff and the recovery will be affected.
He gave an instance where a 46-year-old stall owner had a stroke attack two weeks ago. He was partly paralysed and his life was impacted. The patient requested Chok for urgent treatment.
“If I don’t help him, he would have to wait for a whole month for the lockdown to be lifted. His muscles will be hardened and it will be difficult to recover at that stage.
“His hands needed acupuncture treatment, if not he wouldn’t be able to raise his hands,” Chok said.
Similarly, another TCM practitioner, Soo Soon Gee, said many stroke patients, elderly people and people with diseases called to ask for treatment.
“They need physiotherapy, acupuncture, cupping treatment and tuina. The patients say they are having a hard time without these treatments.”
NSC should provide reasons
Meanwhile, Chinese TCM practitioner Yeoh Beng And pointed out that allowing the TCM sector to treat patients would reduce the burdens of the public health system.
“Chinese TCM is not only providing supplements, but we also provide treatment.
“We will help to reduce burdens of government hospitals, for instance, patients with flu or caught cold can come to us,” Yeoh said.
She is upset that the National Security Council (NSC) did not provide sufficient explanations for putting the TCM practitioners on the negative list. These practitioners are also unable to revise or improve as they are not able to operate, she said.
“We need to know why we can’t operate our TCM clinics. That’s the most important point. From there, (we can discuss) how to solve it.
“Why are veterinarian clinics and physiotherapy centres allowed to open but we are not?
“If we can’t operate fully, what about allowing us to give a non-physical treatment?” Yeoh asked.
She added that TCM practitioners would wear personal protective equipment (PPE) and gloves while giving treatment.
Government urged to enter into a dialogue
The general secretary of the Federation of Chinese Physicians and Acupuncturists Association of Malaysia (FCPAAM), Ng Po Min, urged the NSC to draft standard operating procedures (SOP) for the traditional medicine sector and allow their clinics to operate.
It will help to ease the burdens of the operators and the patients.
Ng said TCM practitioners have to bear rental fees and other costs during this MCO. If the total lockdown is prolonged, he worries that many of them will have to end their practices.
Lawmaker Kok said the government should sit down and engage with the TCM practitioners association in order to get a better understanding of the practitioners and those seeking such traditional medicine treatments.
“We all understand that the government wants to prevent the clusters from coming out, but they also need to understand that these practitioners are actually providing an important service.
“These are services that government doctors and private clinics are unable to provide.
“I hope that the government will sit down and have a dialogue with the association, the FCPAAM, soonest possible. The government shouldn’t stop these practitioners from carrying out their work without explaining the reasons,” Kok said.
According to a notice issued by the Health Ministry’s TCM Division published on June 1, TCM is not under the list of essential services allowed by the National Security Council, therefore they are unable to operate from June 1 to 14. The lockdown has since been extended to June 28.
DAP Seri Kembangan assemblyperson Ean Yong Hian Wah and DAP Youth chief Howard Lee previously criticised this regulation. They said many patients were unable to get treatment regularly, causing them physical and mental stress.
On June 4, the Malaysian Chinese Medical Association revealed on their Facebook page that they got a “positive response” from the government after communicating on this matter with the officers of the International Trade and Industry Ministry (Miti). However, there has been no further announcement from Miti until now. - Mkini
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