BEIJING, July 28 (Xinhua) -- After living with hepatitis B for years, a 50-year-old man surnamed Zhao was rushed to the hospital with liver failure following a period of overwork.
Through a combination of Chinese and Western medicine, the patient received treatments to protect the liver, fight the virus, and improve blood clotting. After a month, Zhao was discharged from the hospital and resumed regular physical activities.
Zhao's recovery reflects a growing trend in China, where hospitals are increasingly combining traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) with Western medicine to treat viral hepatitis and prevent its progression.
The integrated approach has gained renewed attention as China marks World Hepatitis Day on Tuesday.
Viral hepatitis, especially hepatitis B and C, remains a major public health concern worldwide. Without timely antiviral treatment, chronic hepatitis may advance progressively to cirrhosis or liver cancer. To address the challenge, the World Health Organization aims to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
The latest official data show that China is estimated to have about 75 million people living with chronic hepatitis B virus infection. In response, China has made steady progress through expanding vaccination coverage, controlling new hepatitis B virus infections and preventing and treating hepatitis B-related liver cancer.
Amid the country's fight against viral hepatitis, TCM has been playing an increasingly significant role, with relevant clinical guidelines addressing the value of traditional therapies.
"Western medicine is highly effective at suppressing viral replication, while TCM offers unique advantages in relieving symptoms, protecting liver function and slowing liver fibrosis," said Wang Yichen, an attending physician with the department of hepatology at Xiyuan Hospital under the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (CACMS).
Zhang Yinqiang, chief physician of the same department, said TCM's strengths lie in its holistic approach and individualized treatment based on patients' overall conditions.
According to Zhang, TCM therapies can help alleviate symptoms such as fatigue, abdominal distension, and discomfort in the rib area, while also assisting in managing complications such as ascites.
Besides, TCM stresses the role of lifestyle adjustments in improving liver health, ranging from ensuring high-quality sleep to relieving emotional stress. Practices such as dietary therapy and moderate exercise are also common in TCM therapies.
This complementary approach has resulted in steady gains in curbing the major transmission routes in China. The transmission of hepatitis A and E through contaminated food and water has been effectively controlled, while transmission of hepatitis B and C through blood transfusions has been largely eliminated. The country is also making headway toward eliminating mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B.
In addition, an action plan for preventing and controlling viral hepatitis from 2025 to 2030 calls for further improving integrated diagnosis and treatment, refining TCM clinical protocols and exploring TCM-based health management.
Currently, many medical institutions have launched free hepatitis B and C screening programs, public consultations and health education campaigns.
At the Xiyuan Hospital under the CACMS in Beijing, doctors have introduced auricular acupressure -- a TCM therapy that stimulates specific points on the ear -- to help patients with hepatitis relieve insomnia during a free consultation event. Meanwhile, in east China's Jiangxi Province, a hospital is providing free hepatitis screening, along with TCM constitution assessments and personalized wellness guidance.
"Preventing and treating viral hepatitis is a shared responsibility across society," said Li Minghui, director of the liver disease center at Beijing Ditan Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University.
Coordinated prevention and treatment will help lay a solid foundation for eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat, Li added.
Beyond hepatitis, China has promoted further integration of TCM and Western medicine in more fields. For example, guidelines for cancer prevention and control issued in 2023 advocate establishing an integrative cancer care network combining these two types of medicine.
Further efforts are also underway. In a new five-year plan for TCM development issued last week, the country has vowed to build more flagship hospitals in TCM and Western medicine integration and develop collaborative approaches to disease treatment and rehabilitation. ■
