Feature: Traditional Chinese medicine brings hope to Zimbabwean patients

Wang Zhiming provides acupuncture treatment to a patient at the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe on Feb. 29, 2024. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua)

HARARE, March 1 (Xinhua) -- In Zimbabwe, the ancient Chinese healing technique of acupuncture is proving to be a beacon of hope for patients seeking relief from various ailments.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center at Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, the capital, has been thronged with locals eager to experience the magic of acupuncture needles.

"Those needles, I don't know what's the magic, but they work wonderfully in the body," said Martha Tsiga, who was on her seventh session to treat her back problem resulting from a fall.

"Once those needles were inserted, I just relaxed, and I slept," she said. "For those 10 to 15 minutes, my body was just responding positively. It's magical... it heals perfectly."

"I am now able to walk. I wasn't even able to walk for about a kilometer or so. I would just sit down and start crying, but right now I can drive, I can walk, I can do even my daily chores," Tsiga said.

Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), a medical system with a history of over 2,000 years that has been used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses. Traditional Chinese medicine also employs techniques such as moxibustion, cupping, and uses herbal products and mind-body practices.

Charlotte Muziri, the current Miss Zimbabwe International, decided to volunteer at the hospital after witnessing the healing power of acupuncture on her father, who suffered a stroke. His condition improved markedly after just two sessions of the procedure.

"Acupuncture, for me, has been a miracle that has been given to the people of Zimbabwe," she said. "It's really working wonders."

"I have seen many patients who have been healed. Some of them no longer come for treatment because they are now okay," Muziri said.

Wang Zhiming, a TCM doctor at the center, said many people have been healed by the ancient technique.

"Every day, many patients come to our clinic for acupuncture treatment because acupuncture is very effective for lots of conditions and diseases such as acute and chronic pain, stroke, facial palsy, insomnia and headaches, which are very common in Zimbabwe," he said.

Wang said more locals will be trained in traditional Chinese medicine to ensure that Zimbabweans continue to benefit from the ancient practice.

"We want to train a group of local doctors who can independently do acupuncture and moxibustion... to benefit more Zimbabweans," he said.

Hu Sha, another TCM doctor at the center, said the number of people seeking treatment has been growing.

"There are more than 30 to 60 patients each working day in our clinic. We treated more than 18,000 patients last year, and our current appointments have been scheduled up to July 2024," Hu said.

The Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center was set up in 2021 to provide free services to locals.

China and Zimbabwe share a long history of health cooperation. Since 1985, China has dispatched 20 batches of medical teams to Zimbabwe.

A patient receives acupuncture treatment at the Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture Center under Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare, Zimbabwe on Feb. 29, 2024. (Photo by Tafara Mugwara/Xinhua)