KARACHI: Sindh health department is sponsoring the training of young Pakistani doctors in the field of traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs), besides establishment of TCM clinics in the public hospitals of the province.
This was stated by Sindh Minister for Health and Population Welfare Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho at a ceremony held to mark the successful completion of clinical trials of two traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) -- Houtou Jianweiling tablets and Fuke Qianjin capsules – in Pakistan, held at the LEJ National Science Information Center, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS), University of Karachi.
The clinical trials of these Chinese TCMs were conducted by the Center for Bioequivalence Studies and Clinical Research (CBSCR) at the Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research (PCMD), KU.
Dr Azra Fazal Pechuho said the CBSCR has already conducted over 50 clinical trials of various pharmaceutical and biological medicines as per international standards, while the results of clinical work conducted at this center are internationally registered and published.
The ceremony was also addressed by the KU Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Khalid Mehmood Iraqi, Prof Dr Atta-ur-Rahman, ICCBS Patron-in-Chief and former federal minister for science and technology Prof Dr M Iqbal Choudhary, Director of the ICCBS and COMSTECH Coordinator-General Dr Aiguo Dai, President Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, China, Prof Wei Wang, Dean Hunan University, and Principal Investigator of the clinical trial Prof Dr M Raza Shah.
Mr Aziz Latif Jamal, Chairman of Husein Ebrahim Jamal Foundation, Ms Nadira Panjwani, Chairperson Dr Panjwani Memorial Trust, Prof Dr Farzana Shaheen, and the members of the Chinese delegation were also present on the occasion.
The minister said, “I am pleased that my official visit to China in 2018 has catalyzed tremendous collaboration between various institutions and industries and has led to the establishment of Sino Pakistan Center on Traditional Medicine and initiation of clinical trials at the ICCBS.”
Later, talking to the media, along with Chinese delegates, she appreciated the CBSCR for conducting a successful clinical trials of the TCMs.
She said the health department had directed all the public hospitals across the city to remain on high alert in the wake of a possible risk of monkeypox outbreak after surfacing of two cases of the disease in the country.
To a query, the representatives of the Chinese pharmaceutical industry expressed their satisfaction with the process of the clinical trial conducted at the CBSCR, KU.
Prof Khalid Iraqi emphasised the importance of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
He attributed the progress of the international centre to the triangle comprising academia, government, and private sector.
Prof Atta-ur-Rahman said the cooperation between China and Pakistan in the field of TCM had helped strengthen bilateral relations in recent years.
He said the ICCBS was in transition from basic research to highly-applied research and public service.
He also appreciated Dr Raza Shah and his team for carrying out quality research work at the CBSCR.
Prof Iqbal Chaudhry said, “Pak-China long-standing friendship is now translating into projects for the benefit of people.”
The ICCBS is a premier research institution of Pakistan, comprising two finest institutions -- Husein Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry, and Dr Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, he said.
The CBSR at the PCMD has already completed close to 100 clinical trials and studies, including six of Chinese products, he said, adding that Sino Pakistan Traditional Medicine Center was training 20 Pakistani doctors in TCM practices in China and establishing TCM clinics in two public hospitals in Sindh.
Dr Aiguo Dai, in his keynote address, praised the ICCBS for developing many high-quality service units,
including clinical trial centers, which are serving the production sector in the country.
Prof M Raza Shah said the TCM was a complete medical system that had been used to diagnose, treat, and prevent illnesses for more than 2,300 years. He also gave a brief presentation describing the results of the clinical trials conducted at the CBSCR.
