Zhang Boli, Honorary President of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering- Traditional Chinese Medicine Fights the Epidemic and Treats Patients (Striving for a Hundred Years, Setting Sail for a New Journey·" Recipient of the National Honorary Title of "People's Hero")

Source: People's Daily

"When the country is in crisis, the doctor is the warrior. It is better to bear oneself than the people. This is the oath made by Zhang Boli, honorary president of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (see photo, photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Xie Huanchi) when he fought SARS 18 years ago. In the fight against the new crown pneumonia epidemic, he went to Wuhan in Hubei Province and Shijiazhuang in Hebei Province to promote the entry of traditional Chinese medicine into the "Chinese plan" against the epidemic.

Twice to the front line of the fight against the epidemic

On January 27, 2020, the third day of the Lunar New Year, Zhang Boli was ordered to go to Wuhan as a member of the expert group of the Central Epidemic Prevention and Control Steering Group to participate in the frontline of the fight against the epidemic. Just arrived in Wuhan, Zhang Boli went deep into designated hospitals, cabin hospitals and other places to consult patients, investigate the epidemic situation, and formulate traditional Chinese medicine treatment plans.

At that time, the "four categories of personnel" in Wuhan, such as confirmed patients, suspected patients, fever patients who may be infected, and close contacts, were not strictly distinguished. Zhang Boli immediately proposed to implement hierarchical and classified management of the "four types of personnel".

In early February, Wuhan began to build a square cabin hospital. Zhang Boli and Liu Qingquan, deputy head of the national TCM medical treatment expert group, proposed to introduce traditional Chinese medicine into the fang cabin hospital and use the knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine to manage the fang cabin hospital. With the consent of the Central Guidance Group, the first TCM medical team was formed and the TCM Cabin Hospital - Jiangxia Fang Cabin Hospital was built.

On February 12, Zhang Boli led 209 members of the National Medical Team of Traditional Chinese Medicine to enter Jiangxia Fangbin Hospital. As the general consultant of the Fang Cabin Hospital, Zhang Boli wore heavy protective equipment and walked into the isolation ward to check the room, diagnose the pulse and look at the tongue for each patient, and understand the condition.

On March 19, Chamberlain celebrated his 72nd birthday. On the same day, the newly confirmed cases, new suspected cases, and existing suspected cases in Wuhan were all zeroed for the first time. "It's the best birthday present." Chamberlain said.

On April 8, Wuhan lifted the control measures for the passage from Han to Hubei for 76 days. On April 16, Zhang Boli left Wuhan and ended more than 80 days of conquest.

In January this year, there was a cluster of outbreaks in Shijiazhuang. On January 15, Zhang Boli arrived in Shijiazhuang. As soon as he arrived in Shijiazhuang, he went deep into the wards of designated hospitals to inspect the rehabilitation of healers, participate in seminars on treating patients, and formulate traditional Chinese medicine treatment plans. It was not until the epidemic was effectively controlled that Chamberlain left.

It's the patient who has the heart in mind

"Academician Zhang is here! He said it could be cured, and it was like taking a 'reassuring pill'. In the isolation ward, many patients feel at ease when they see the doctor whose protective clothing says "Tianjin Lao Zhang". When in Wuhan, Zhang Boli guided clinical consultations and inspection wards during the day and studied treatment plans at night. How much bed spacing, how the air circulates, how the patient eats... He asked them all, and all he had in mind were the patients.

Traditional Chinese medicine has played a role in fighting the epidemic, thanks to years of scientific research by Zhang Boli and his team. Last year, the State Key Laboratory of Components of Chinese Medicines settled in Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. This is the State Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine System, marking a national innovation base for the modernization of Chinese medicine.

The construction of the laboratory has condensed the painstaking efforts of Chamberlain and the team over the years. Prior to this, Chamberlain and his team had been studying for more than 20 years. Focusing on the "two relatively clear" efficacy substances and mechanisms of action of traditional Chinese medicine, Zhang Boli's team created several key technologies of standard components, group-effect relationship, group allocation, and optimal design, and built a library of traditional Chinese medicine components, breaking through the limitations of thousands of years of empirical formulas and providing a scientific basis for modern Traditional Chinese medicine formulas.

These efforts have not been in vain, and their value has been fully demonstrated in this fight against the epidemic. In the process of fighting the epidemic in Wuhan, under the advice of Experts such as Zhang Boli, the Central Guidance Group set up a diagnosis group of the Federation of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine to conduct one-on-one consultations for seriously ill patients.

Give full play to the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine in fighting the epidemic

When he first arrived in Wuhan, Zhang Boli suggested that all four types of personnel should be treated with traditional Chinese medicine. Under the impetus of Zhang Boli, the whole process of traditional Chinese medicine intervened in the treatment of new crown pneumonia. The 16 cabin hospitals in Wuhan have treated more than 12,000 patients, and each cabin hospital is equipped with Traditional Chinese medicine experts to distribute Traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions synchronously, and the utilization rate of Traditional Chinese medicine has reached 90%.

After the completion and opening of Jiangxia Fangbin Hospital, Zhang Boli advocated the use of comprehensive treatment of traditional Chinese medicine for patients. At that time, it was relatively cold inside the Fang Cabin Hospital, and he encouraged the medical staff to lead the patients to practice Baduanjin and Taijiquan. Patients have achieved "three zeros" by taking traditional Chinese medicine, tai chi, massage, acupuncture and other traditional Chinese medicine treatment: that is, the patient has zero severe illness, zero return to yang, and zero infection of medical staff.

In January this year, in view of the new characteristics of Shijiazhuang's new crown pneumonia patients with asymptomatic infection and high fever, Zhang Boli decisively judged: "Unlike Wuhan, patients in Shijiazhuang have mild symptoms and more qi deficiency, and the bruising is obvious. Chamberlain advocates the use of "three medicines and three parties" to treat patients. More than 70% of patients in Shijiazhuang have been treated with traditional Chinese medicine decoctions.

"I am very relieved to see that Chinese medicine has played an important role in fighting the epidemic and that many people have benefited." Chamberlain said.