Tibet boom in herbal health

Source: Xinhua  |   2008-7-14  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

TIBET'S traditional herb-based medicine is experiencing a new boom, with more medical practitioners being trained and greater research and development, according to health officials.

The Tibet Autonomous Region has named 26 candidates in line to be designated as distinguished Tibetan medical practitioners. They include 21 active practitioners and five retirees, according to the regional government's health department.

The final list will be released after evaluation by an expert panel, a department source said yesterday.

The list of outstanding therapists will be updated every three years to foster talent in the 1,200-year-old tradition, according to the source.

Insiders said these outstanding practitioners would act as flagships, drawing more public attention and attracting more people to the field.

Meanwhile, 64 students have been awarded master's degree by the Tibetan Traditional Medical College, which has set up postgraduate course since 1999.

The college has also offered doctoral courses since 2004, and two students have graduated with the degree.

"This year, 14 students came to study for the master's degree and two for doctoral degree," said Cering, deputy dean of the postgraduate course.

The region has 1,850 traditional practitioners, up 71.5 percent since 2000. There is one traditional medicine practitioner per 2,000 Tibetan residents, with 17 hospitals specializing in traditional medicine.

Tibetan traditional medicine is popular not only in the region but in other parts of the country and the world.

The pharmaceutical part of the business was valued at 574 million yuan (US$83 million) last year, a year-on-year rise of 1.7 percent.

To promote its development, doctors, researchers and businessmen teamed up and found an industry development association early this month.