The State Council Information Office held a press conference at 4 pm on March 23, 2020 in Wuhan, Hubei. Yu Yanhong, member of the Central Steering Group, member of the Party Committee on Health, secretary of the Chinese Medicine
Bureau; Zhang Boli, Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, President of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese
Medicine;Huang Luqi, Member of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, President of the Chinese Academy of Chinese
Medical Sciences; Liu Qingquan, President of Beijing Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Qiu Haibo, deputy director of
Zhongda Hospital, Southeast University of China, introduced the important role of traditional Chinese medicine in the
prevention and treatment of pneumonia due to COVID 19 and answered reporters’ questions.
Over 90% of confirmed cases were treated with traditional Chinese medicine
Yu Yanhong said that the important role played by Chinese medicine has become a highlight of the epidemic prevention and
control. Data show that nationwide, 74,187 people diagnosed with COVID19 pneumonia were treated with Chinese
medicine, This is 91.5% of the total patient population. Among them, 61,449 people in Hubei Province used Chinese
medicine, accounting for 90.6%. Clinical observation shows that the total effective rate of traditional Chinese medicine has
reached over 90%. Traditional Chinese medicine can effectively alleviate symptoms, reduce the transition from mild syptoms
to severe, improve the cure rate, and promote physical recovery of the patient population.
Over 600,000 copies of Chinese medicines were issued
Zhang Boli said that in the face of the epidemic in Wuhan, the central guidance group made decisive decisions, and
resolutely isolated these feverish and suspected patients. The grassroots community organizations and citizens of Wuhan
were very supportive. It took them two or three days to basically isolate the patients, but quarantine was only half the battle,
because there was no effective antiviral medicine and no vaccine for this pneumonia.
“We distributed traditional Chinese medicine at first. It was not smooth sailing at the beginning. In the 13 districts of Wuhan,
only 3,000 bags of medicine were distributed on the first day. But after two or three days, everyone saw the effect of
traditional Chinese medicine. Patients took the initiative of drinking the herbal decoction. During the epidemic, more than
600,000 decoctions of Chinese medicine were distributed. “Zhang Boli said.
More than 4,900 Chinese medicine staffs assisted Hubei
Yu Yanhong said that the Chinese medical system mobilized more than 4,900 Chinese medicine practitioners to Hubei from
the whole country, accounting for about 13% of the total number of medical staff in Wuhan, including three members of
Chinese Academy of Engineering and hundreds of experts. The scale and strength of the Chinese medicine assistance team
is unprecedented.
100,000 boxes of lianhuaqingwen went to Italy
Zhang Boli said that Lianhua Qingwen is a prescription developed during the treatment of SARS, with the aim of clearing
heat, detoxifying the lungs, and reducing fever, with demonstrated effects on patients with mild patterns of pneumonitis. At
present, China has provided 100,000 boxes to Italy, with possibly another 100,000 boxes on the way.
“The RCT (Randomized Controlled Trial) study jointly conducted by Academician Zhong Nanshan, Academician Li Lanjuan
and I in 9 provinces, cities and 23 hospitals nationwide was designed to be more rigorous and included 284 patients with
COVID19 pneumonia.” says Zhang.
The results showed that the treatment group’s symptoms clearing rate and clinical course reduction were better than the
control group. The improvement in pulmonary imaging was 83.8%, while the control group was 64.1%; the clinical cure was
78.9%, compared with control group’s 66.2%. Reducing the chance of transition from mild to severe patterns was twice as
effective when compared with the control group. At the same time, the recently completed in vitro experiments also
demonstrated lianhua qingwen has an inhibitory effect on the growth of the virus.
Don’t worry about Western patients not accepting Chinese medicine
When asked if they are worried about Western patients not willing to take the herbs, Huang Luqi answered he was not
worried at all, based on past experience.
Huang Luqi said although traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine belong to two different medical systems and
have different perspectives on health and disease, they are both rooted in clinical efficacy. Because of this, the antimalarial
drug artemisinin discovered by Tu youyou is widely used around the globe, and Chinese medicine has disseminated to 183
countries and regions around the world. According to World Health Organization statistics, 163 members approved the use
of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture, and the revised eleventh edition of International Diseases adopted by the
72nd World Health Assembly included traditional medicine. The research and developmental process of traditional Chinese
medicine is different from that of chemical and biological medicine, due to its historical roots.
“We are willing to fight alongside the people of all countries to conquer this epidemic and share the experience and
achievements of Chinese medicine.” Huang Luqi said.
Source:
10万盒连花清瘟支援意大利!抗击疫情,中医药作用几何? – 今日头条Toutiao : https://www.toutiao.com/group/6807632999987806734/?
app=news_article×tamp=1585114282&req_id=20200325133122010026079013230B4A2B&group_id=6807632999987806734&wxshare_count=1&tt_from=weix