Physicians sort traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) at a hospital in Yingkou, Liaoning province, on May 23. (PHOTO / XINHUA)

Seven public medical institutions from Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Zhuhai will start the process of recruiting 12 practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine from Hong Kong and Macao, a high-level online conference held by the national and Guangdong provincial authorities of traditional Chinese medicine heard on Monday.

The arrangement comes under a pilot program encouraging public medical institutions on the Chinese mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area to hire TCM practitioners from the two special administrative regions.

Eligible TCM practitioners must be permanent residents of either of the SARs, and have obtained recognized qualifications of practicing on the mainland under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement. They must also love their cities andthe country, be of good character and have a professional background that fits job offers.

The pilot program, formulated under the Construction Plan for the Chinese Medicine Highlands in the Guangdong-Hong KongMacao Greater Bay Area (2020- 25), which was issued on Sept 27, 2020, goes further by encouraging public medical institutions on the mainland to hire more TCM practitioners from the SARs

Recruitment notices were scheduled to be placed on each institution’s official website before today. The recruitment process will end on Sept 20, with vetting slated to finish before Sept 30. The results will be released before Oct 15.

As of Feb 28, there were 7,912 registered TCM practitioners in Hong Kong.

According to CEPA, registered healthcare professionals with recognized qualifications in Hong Kong, including TCM practitioners, can practice on the mainland on short-term deals.

The pilot program, formulated under the Construction Plan for the Chinese Medicine Highlands in the Guangdong-Hong KongMacao Greater Bay Area (2020- 25), which was issued on Sept 27, 2020, goes further by encouraging public medical institutions on the mainland to hire more TCM practitioners from the SARs.

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In a video speech at the conference held in Guangzhou, Zhu Haidong, deputy director-general of the Department of International Cooperation of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said that the pilot program will contribute to more flexible exchanges of TCM practitioners within the region.

With the flow of talent, it will have a positive impact on building the Greater Bay Area into a Chinese medicine highland and on the internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine, Zhu added.

The seven public medical institutions include Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guangdong Second Provincial Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital, and Traditional Chinese Medicine University of Guangzhou No 1 Affiliated Hospital, according to Xu Qingfeng, director of the Bureau of Traditional Chinese Medicine of Guangdong Province and deputy director of Health Commission of Guangdong Province.

Secretary for Food and Health Sophia Chan Siu-chee welcomed the implementation of the program, and expressed her gratitude to the central government and the authorities in Guangdong province for their continuous support in the development of traditional Chinese medicine in Hong Kong.

Chan said the SAR government has maintained a close liaison with the mainland authorities, who have promised to consider expanding the scope of the pilot site if they implement the program.

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Chan pointed out that the relevant arrangements allow Hong Kong TCM practitioners to further their working experience in the national medical system, which will help accelerate industry communications between the mainland and Hong Kong, as well as provide more opportunities for the younger generation to develop careers in the Greater Bay Area.