In most African countries, medical and health services are relatively backward. Traditional Chinese medicine, witch doctors and modern medical methods often coexist, and modern medicine is dominant. Most urban hospitals rely on hiring foreign doctors for treatment, while rural areas, agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and mining areas mainly rely on witch doctors for treatment. Local traditional herbalists are also common, but they have no systematic medical knowledge and their actual medical level is low. Many countries implement free medical care system, but the medical and health facilities are incomplete, and the situation of lack of medical care and medicine is more serious. Since 1960, China's medical teams assisting Africa have been active in Tanzania, Zambia, Mozambique, Niger, Zaire, Mali, Guinea-Bissau and other countries, which have improved the local medical conditions to some extent and trained a number of local medical and health personnel. Many Africans know something about Chinese medicine, Chinese medicine and acupuncture, or have benefited from it many times, which has laid the foundation for the development of Chinese medicine in Africa.
Africa is still a new international market of Chinese herbal medicine. 1992, the total sales of African traditional Chinese medicine market reached 320 million US dollars, with an increase rate of about 12%. It is predicted that Chinese herbal medicine will play a leading role in Africa in the 2nd/Kloc-0th century, and China is increasing its investment to prepare for the coming golden age.
Management of traditional Chinese medicine in Africa
African countries still lack a complete set of Chinese medicine management laws and regulations. Most countries there implement the system of public medical care, and patients often do not have to pay for medical treatment, including registration fees, medical treatment fees, examination and treatment fees, medicine fees, hospitalization fees and other expenses are borne by the state. However, due to the obvious shortage of medical and health outlets and necessary equipment, the medical level is low, and it is difficult to reverse the situation of lack of doctors and medicines. In recent years, medical expenses in some countries have soared and become unbearable. Therefore, the system that the state and individuals bear medical expenses is implemented, and all arrangements are no longer allowed. Private hospitals, clinics and pharmacies are allowed, but private hospitals and clinics are stipulated as self-funded medical units, and all medical expenses are taken care of by themselves.
Medical education in Africa
Medical education in African countries has not yet formed its own system, and Chinese medicine education is lacking. At present, we still mainly rely on foreign countries to train doctors, such as studying in Europe and America, returning to China to practice medicine, or being employed by national hospitals. Traditional Chinese medicine is mostly cultivated in China and other Asian countries. Since the 1960s, more than 1000 people have come to China to study Chinese medicine, covering almost 55 countries and regions in Africa. The academic system ranges from 3 months to 5 years, and a few people have also studied for graduate students. Before major study, you should study Chinese 1 ~ 2 years. Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine has dozens of African students from Egypt, Mali, Benin, Morocco, Rwanda, Burundi, Comoros, Madagascar, Equatorial Guinea, Somalia and other countries. Some international students go to third countries for further study or employment. The local ethnic doctors also lack management, rectification and improvement, so the academic research work in African medical field is very weak, the regional academic exchange is mainly based on case reports, the scientific research design is not rigorous, and the status in world medicine is not high, which is closely related to the level of medical education.
In Africa, most of the academic papers on the application of traditional Chinese medicine and acupuncture to treat common and difficult diseases come from doctors of China medical aid team to Africa. In areas with high incidence of AIDS and viral hepatitis, modern medical measures are not effective. China Medical Team applied the theory of syndrome differentiation and treatment of traditional Chinese medicine to carry out clinical research, and comprehensively applied TCM, acupuncture and other measures, which improved more than 70% of patients' symptoms, alleviated their illness and achieved remarkable results. Chinese medicine has won the trust of governments and people in some countries, and they hope that the cooperation of Chinese medicine will continue and develop. In March, 1996, the chief medical officer of the Tanzanian Ministry of Health, Jimabu, and other officials visited China, negotiated and signed an agreement on the continued cooperation between China and Tanzania in the treatment of AIDS with traditional Chinese medicine, and visited the Chinese Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Xiyuan Hospital, aiming to broaden the field of cooperation in traditional Chinese medicine. They also met with the sixth batch of medical experts who went to Tanzania for AIDS treatment.
Drug market in Africa
Africa has long been under colonial rule. Before World War II, there were only three independent countries: Egypt, Ethiopia and Liberia. The economic lifeline of all countries has long been controlled by foreign powers, and the industrial structure is unreasonable and the overall level is low. Most countries don't even have pharmaceutical factories, and all the medicines they need are imported, including water for injection. In the past, the drug market in Africa was monopolized by France, Britain, Germany, Belgium, the United States, Italy and other countries. In recent years, Japanese and Indian pharmaceutical industries have gradually entered Africa. Nigeria is an African country with relatively developed geographical conditions and industry and agriculture. There are some American-aided pharmaceutical industries whose products are sold at home or imported to other African countries. Traditional Chinese medicine is entering Africa with the advantages of good quality (packaging is not dominant) and low price. Sales in various countries have increased year by year, and joint ventures have been established in Africa. Kaige Pharmaceutical Company was established in Zanzibar from 65438 to 0970, and joint ventures or cooperative pharmaceutical companies were established in Mali and C? te d 'Ivoire in the 1990s. At present, the production and sales of these pharmaceutical factories are in good condition and play an important role in the medical care of local people. African countries are interested in Chinese medicine trade. There are no written laws and regulations. Morocco and other countries exempt raw materials including Chinese herbal medicines. Some drug dealers hope to import Chinese and western medicines directly from China, so as to reduce the purchase cost and ensure the quality of medicines. The proliferation of Chinese medicine vendors or shops in some cities in Africa and the frequent occurrence of counterfeit and shoddy products are new problems in Chinese medicine trade.
/kloc-In the past 0/0 years, China's generic drugs and health care products have sold well in Mali, Tanzania, Ghana, Niger, Zambia and other countries. These include Liushen Pills produced in Suzhou, Niuhuang Xiaoyan Liquor, Gold and Silver Toilet Water, Magic Safflower Oil produced in Shanghai, Longhu brand cool oil, East China essential oil, pollen preparation, slimming tea, ten drops of water, ice boron powder and rheumatism analgesic ointment. Some Chinese patent medicines, such as Liuwei Dihuang wine, Caoxiang Zhengqi wine and Bupleurum preparation, are in great demand. Hot Africa needs aromatic deodorizers, antiseptic insecticides, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents, air fresheners and health care cleaning baths, electric mosquito coils made in China, spray insecticides and cockroach killers, which are very popular.
There are also some unfavorable factors in the African pharmaceutical market. For example, African countries have a government-managed medical system, and medicines from Europe and the United States are widely used. ② The overall economic situation is not good. ③ The management system is not perfect. This has brought some difficulties to the specific operation of Chinese medicine trade. China still needs to further grasp the national conditions, people's feelings and market information, and formulate flexible and effective production and marketing plans in order to gain an advantage in the international trade of Chinese medicine.