Egyptian Health Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar said Egypt seeks to expand cooperation with China in traditional Chinese medicine education, training and scientific research, as the Egyptian Chinese University announced plans to establish a specialised research centre that it said would be the largest of its kind in Africa.
Abdel Ghaffar made the remarks during the eighth International Conference on Traditional Chinese Medicine Education, held in Cairo for the first time in the Arab region, as Egypt and China mark 70 years of diplomatic relations.
He said the conference provided an opportunity to expand exchanges in medical education, training and research amid growing international interest in traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture and herbal treatments.
Presidential Health Adviser Mohamed Awad Tag El-Din called for clearly defined scientific curricula and specialised training for healthcare professionals working in the field.
Karima Abdel Karim, Chairperson of the Egyptian Chinese University’s Board of Trustees, said the university was preparing to establish a research centre specialising in traditional Chinese medicine, describing it as the largest of its kind in Africa.
However, no opening date, investment value or details of the centre’s planned research capacity were disclosed.
Li Yue, President of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine, said in a recorded address that holding the conference in Egypt could support plans to establish a specialised academy and expand international education in traditional Chinese medicine.
Federation officials also called for greater support for educational institutions in Africa, workforce development and long-term mechanisms for research, innovation and academic cooperation.
Zhang Yaqiang, Minister Counsellor at the Chinese Embassy in Cairo, described the conference as the first specialised event of its kind in the Arab region.
No funding agreements or timetables for the proposed academy or research centre were announced during the event.