Brazil includes acupuncture in emergency care provided by state hospitals

Brazil has become the first country in the Western Hemisphere where traditional Chinese medicine is officially practised in public hospitals. At the Sao Paulo Medical Centre, acupuncture is used at all three levels of care: primary, specialist, and for patients with complex cases, as reported by El Ciudadano, a partner of TV BRICS.

"We treat primary care patients in our emergency department, but we also function as a specialist care centre, as acupuncture is a recognised medical speciality in Brazil. Finally, patients with complex cases who are already undergoing treatment at Sao Paulo Hospital also come here for acupuncture sessions," noted Marcia Yamamura, Head of the hospital’s acupuncture department.

The emergency department treats between 60 and 80 patients daily. According to Marcia Yamamura, people come primarily for chronic pain, to relieve acute attacks and gradually reduce their intake of medication, which often causes side effects.

The source notes that the first emergency department in the Western Hemisphere to offer acupuncture opened at Sao Paulo Hospital in 1998. Today, 10 per cent of all acupuncture procedures in the country are carried out there. One of the patients, Lais, has been receiving this treatment for over four years. She noted that the service needs to set up an outpatient clinic to help everyone who relies on this method.

Outside hospitals, traditional Chinese medicine is spreading through digital platforms. Traditional Chinese medicine specialist Peter Liu noted that interest in integrative medicine is growing in Brazil. Acupuncturist Kai Hun reported that over the past 30 days, his social media content has been viewed by 200 million users.

The source emphasises that healthcare, alongside trade, has become one of the strongest bridges between China and Brazil.