Every local neighborhood health center in Shanghai is capable of providing at least basic traditional Chinese medical service thanks to a seven-year research and promotion campaign, the Shanghai Health Bureau said yesterday.

All 73 health centers in downtown have special out-patient clinics that provide TCM service, while the 154 centers in the city's outskirts all provide acupuncture and massage services.

Health officials said promoting TCM is a key for providing community health care, specially for chronic and common diseases.

The city started to introduce TCM service in neighborhood clinics in Zhabei District in 1999 on a trial basis. The pilot program was expanded to 33 neighborhood health centers in 2004, where it received a warm response from residents.

Ji Weiping, director of the Shanghai Health Bureau's TCM department, said the city considers TCM a strong feature of local community service, while improving staff quality at clinics is the current priority.

"National authorities require that every neighborhood health center should have at least six licensed general practitioners and one of them should major in traditional Chinese medicine," Ji said. "The city is also working on a neighborhood TCM service guideline to regulate medical staff's qualifications and their training plan. The training includes an English course, in order to attract more foreigners in the city to undergo TCM service in their neighborhood."

By Cai Wenjun