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World Health Organization launches Western Pacific regional strategy for traditional medicine (with photos)
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     Experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) are meeting in Hong Kong for two days (May 7 and 8) to launch a strategy that is designed to steer traditional medicine development in the Western Pacific Region (WPR) into the next decade.

     The event is being attended by about 50 experts from the WHO and 15 countries and economies, including Australia, Japan, Korea, the Lao People's Democratic Republic, Malaysia, the Philippines, the Mainland and Vietnam. They have been joined by local experts.

     The event, entitled "Regional Launching and Workshop on the Implementation of the Regional Strategy for Traditional Medicine in the Western Pacific (2011-2020)", is organised by the WHO WPR Office with support from the Department of Health.   

     The meeting aims at launching the new strategy regionally, to share the best practices in ensuring safety, quality and efficacy for the use and practice of traditional medicine in the region, as well as to discuss priority actions to implement the strategy. It is chaired by the Director of Health, Dr P Y Lam.

     Addressing the launching ceremony, Dr Lam said Hong Kong is honoured to have been invited to support this very meaningful and important event.

     "Significant developments have been made and new challenges have also emerged for traditional medicine during the past decade. This year also marks the 15th anniversary of the Chinese Medicine Division of the Department of Health. It is an opportune time to foster our international collaboration in traditional medicine for the next new stage," he said.

     "Our collaborative efforts are directed at promoting the formulation of national policy on traditional medicine, and to advancing its integration into our health-care systems. The new regional strategy will ensure that traditional medicine is a health priority in the region and that it is being used safely and appropriately for the benefit of our people," Dr Lam concluded.

Ends/Monday, May 7, 2012
Issued at HKT 19:18

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