STORY: Chinese medical team expands traditional Chinese medicine awareness in Namibian schools
SHOOTING TIME: Aug. 14, 2024
DATELINE: Aug. 17, 2024
LENGTH: 00:02:08
LOCATION: Windhoek
CATEGORY: HEALTH

SHOTLIST:
1. various of the Amazing Kids Private School at Windhoek, Namibia
2. various of Chinese doctors treating local people
3. SOUNDBITE (English): JOHN VRIES, Staff member at Amazing Kids Private School
4. various of Chinese doctors treating local people

STORYLINE:

The 15th Chinese medical team to Namibia on Wednesday continued to promote traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), with the introduction of acupuncture to learners and staff members at Amazing Kids Private School in the Namibian capital of Windhoek.
   
Li Bangwei, head of the 15th Chinese medical team, held an engaging lecture detailing acupuncture, a technique involving the insertion of needles at specific points on the body to promote healing. The presentation covered the history of acupuncture, its various uses, and the specific points targeted during treatment.
   
Acupuncture, which has been practiced in China for more than 2,000 years, aims to stimulate the body's natural healing process, said Li.
   
The lecture was supported by a video from Richard Kamwi, Namibia's former minister of health and social services. In the video, Kamwi discussed the benefits of acupuncture and urged the attendees to consider it a viable alternative for maintaining health.
   
Meanwhile, the lecture extended to a more hands-on approach, as the participants experienced the practice personally.
   
Jon Vreis, a staff member at the school who undertook an acupuncture session during the lecture, said in an interview with Xinhua that he found the therapy very intriguing.

SOUNDBITE (English): JOHN VRIES, Staff member at Amazing Kids Private School
"Today I did acupuncture with Chinese traditional medicine. I found it very intriguing. However, I'm very fearful of needles and I never thought I'd have this experience, so I just decided to challenge myself. And I think that this worked for me for the last few minutes, and I've had it done now."
   
Other participants in the lecture also joined the session, believing that consistently being acupunctured would yield desirable health results.
   
Acupuncture is currently one of the several traditional Chinese therapy techniques practiced in Namibia, with a bulk of sessions conducted at the TCM Clinic located at the Katutura State Hospital in Windhoek.
   
China has dispatched a total of 15 medical teams to Namibia since 1996.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Windhoek.
(XHTV)