Compared to the established divisions of the Ministry of Health, the traditional and complementary medicine (TM&CM) division is relatively new and a work in progress, said Dr Dyanan Puvanandran, secretary of the T&CM Council of the Ministry of Health.
Dyanan was speaking at the recent Integrative Medicine Seminar organized by the Malaysian Medical Association (MMA) in Petaling Jaya. He explained that the T&CM Council is composed of members appointed by the Minister of Health, on the recommendation of the Director General (DG) of Health. T&CM encompasses a broad field and includes traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Malay medicine, traditional Indian medicine, homeopathy, chiropractic and osteopathy, as well as Islamic medical practice.
According to the T&CM Act, 2016 (Act 775), T&CM is a form of health-related practice that aims to prevent, treat or manage conditions/diseases or preserve the mental and physical well-being of an individual; and excludes medical or dental offices used by a physician or dentist, respectively.
The provisions of Act 775 include the establishment of the T&CM Council, of which Dyanan is a member, the empowerment of the T&CM Council to address matters relating to T&CM practices and practitioners in Malaysia. It further requires persons wishing to practice in any of the recognized areas of T&CM to be registered with the T&CM Council and relevant mechanisms and criteria. Among other things, the law outlines the duties and responsibilities that a licensed practitioner must follow and provides guidelines to protect the rights of patients receiving T&CM services.
The law further states that the DG shall be the Chairman of the T&CM Council and the Deputy DG shall be the Alternate Chairman. The council, in its latest iteration, is made up of three representatives from the Ministry of Health (one each from the Medical Development Division, Family Health Development Division and T&CM Division), two from local universities, five from T&CM industries and six from practitioner bodies.
Dyanan said the scope covered by the T&CM Division of the Ministry of Health is broad and therefore many aspects are still being fine-tuned. He urged all parties to play their role in contributing to the development of the TM&CM field and providing feedback and support where necessary. Recognizing the important role that T&CM plays in the social fabric of Malaysian society, the T&CM Policy Declaration states that T&CM must be an important component of the healthcare system. It will coexist with modern medicine and help improve the health and quality of life of all Malaysians. The government will facilitate the development of T&CM and ensure the quality, safe practices and products of T&CM. The government will support the identification of the health, economic and social benefits of T&CM.
The T&CM Council is currently organizing Capacity Building Courses (CBCs) for traditional medicine practitioners (Chinese and Indian) and local homeopathy practitioners without recognized qualifications but with appropriate experience as determined by the T&CM Council. These are otherwise known as the “grandfathered” category of practitioners. Participants will receive a certificate of course participation after meeting the attendance requirements.
The teaching plans and course materials for the courses have been developed with the assistance of relevant practitioner bodies and experts. Only CBC trainers and training centers approved by the T&CM Council are authorized to offer CBC at the set rates. The implementation of these CBCs began in 2021 for traditional Chinese medicine, traditional Malay medicine and homeopathy. Traditional Islamic Medicine CBCs will be available in 2023.
T&CM is increasingly offered in Ministry of Health hospitals
To date, 15 public hospitals have integrated T&CM services into their environment. However, T&CM services cannot simply be accessed without an appointment: patients must be referred by a licensed physician and
≥18 years old.
The six types of T&CM services offered at MOH hospitals are Traditional Massage, Shirodhara, Herbal Medicine as Adjunct Treatment for Cancer Patients, Acupuncture and External Basti Therapy.
Ed: Queries or complaints can be directed to tcm@moh.gov.my
