KUNMING/NAY PYI TAW, Jan. 17 -- As a lecturer in southwest China's Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Wei Ningyi has been teaching Chinese acupuncture in Myanmar for about three years.

"Students in Myanmar have great interest in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and want to learn more about acupuncture. Local governments have also provided support for bilateral exchanges and cooperation in the area," Wei said.

According to Wei, acupuncture is now widely used in clinics, hospitals and many other places in Myanmar, "but the number of qualified acupuncturists is limited."

With a history of more than 2,000 years, Chinese acupuncture is now applied in clinical departments and health service industries in more than 100 countries.

Myanmar issued regulations in 2018 that allow acupuncture to be used in treating diseases. To meet the growing demands, the University of Traditional Medicine, Myanmar has now opened an acupuncture course that is compulsory for undergraduates and postgraduates.

Last August, the China-Myanmar Traditional Medicine Collaboration Center was launched in Mandalay, to strengthen bilateral cooperation between China and Myanmar in traditional medicine and carry out professional training in the area.

The center was jointly built by the Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Myanmar's Ministry of Health and Sports and the University of Traditional Medicine, Myanmar, according to Wei, who serves as the Chinese-party director of the center.

Every year, the Chinese university sends professional teachers and experts to the university in Myanmar, to teach different TCM courses, with acupuncture as an important part.

"We mainly focus on practical skills and also open some clinical courses," Wei said.

Through the center, the Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine has carried out six TCM training programs for about 300 people in Myanmar so far, who can use TCM methods for common diseases after training.

"The training courses not only provide us professional TCM knowledge but also let us know more about its culture. I hope I can participate in more courses to learn acupuncture skills," said Kywe Kywe Win, a trainee of the program.

The Yunnan university has also dispatched two groups of more than 10 medical teams to Myanmar, giving free treatment to nearly 600 local patients.

"After the training programs, many students can use acupuncture to treat patients in their clinics. The center has set up a platform for mutual exchanges, and more cooperation is expected in the future," said Kay Thi Win, an official of the affiliated hospital of the University of Traditional Medicine, Myanmar.