TCM a healthy option for residents in Dhaka

A Bangladesh clinic practicing traditional Chinese medicine has won trust and gratitude from its many patients.

In 2019, Suoxi Healthcare Ltd opened in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh. Trained local medical staff, including professionals who returned with hands-on experience from study in China, provide patients with various TCM treatments such as acupuncture and tui na or Chinese therapeutic massage.

In treating patients with various conditions, Mohammad Shahib Sheik, who is in charge of the clinic's operation, says, "We take advice from Chinese specialists for seriously ill patients.

"We get the advice through video calls with specialist doctors in China. That's one way we do it here."

Firoz Kibria, a retired government official, says he had suffered from migraine. "After taking the TCM treatment, I'm completely fine."

Many Chinese people also visit the clinic. Among them, Wang Jianke comes here to threat sciatica.

"I have taken the TCM treatment here for five days. Now I feel very good. I think TCM in pain management is very effective and it will help Bangladesh people," he says.

Farid Ahmed, a Bangladesh Ministry of Post official, says he has tried physiotherapy many times in many places but in vain to ease his back pain.

However, in Suoxi, "after treatment for two to three days, I felt better", he says.

"When I came to this clinic I felt it was different from other centers," he says. "This center was well equipped with devices."

Mahbubur Rahman, joint secretary of the Bangladesh Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, says long hours sitting in the office has led to pain in his lower and upper back and spine problems.

"I have taken a lot of painkillers ... I have gone to many doctors. Finally I came to know about this clinic. I came here and have taken therapy," he says.

"I feel better. I'm pleased with the treatment here. TCM is good for health, as pain killers have many side effects," he adds.

He says he thinks more Chinese doctors should come to Bangladesh, adding "it will be good for people of Bangladesh".

Shahidul Islam is the clinic's key resource person.

He got an undergraduate medical degree in a university in Wuhan in central China after five years of study. He says he also took an "internship training in acupuncture in the university's TCM department".

"I graduated from Tongji Medical University in Wuhan," he says, which is a college of the Huazhong University of Science and Technology.

He says more Chinese medical technologies should be brought to this country.

According to him, Shahib Sheik, who had been to China, was among the people who inspired him to study traditional Chinese medicine.

"They created the Suoxi foundation which supported me in communicating with China, and help them with any of the Chinese treatments," he says.

He says he has many ideas for the development of TCM in Bangladesh, including the plan for establishing an acupuncture association in order to promote the Chinese acupuncture practice and technology in the Asian country.

He also believes it is necessary to provide TCM healthcare services in the country's rural areas.

Xinhua