Traditional Chinese medicine should be integrated into the national public health system, Zhang Boli, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, told Xinhua News Agency.

TCM treatment has proved effective and played a significant role in helping control symptoms of patients, lowering the proportion of patients whose conditions turn from mild to severe, increasing the cure rate of severe cases and lowering the mortality rate, says Zhang.

Zhang fought at the front line against COVID-19 in Wuhan and organized 12 medical teams to summarize treatment experience. He also shared such experience with medics in other countries via video link.

Zhang proposed to improve the system and mechanism for the prevention and treatment of major infectious diseases, integrate TCM into the public health emergency management system, and build a prevention and control system with the combination of TCM and Western medicine.

"We have treated COVID-19 patients, especially those in severe condition, through joint consultation and treatment of TCM and Western medicine," he says.

Zhang, also head of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, suggests that epidemic treatment schemes should be included in textbooks of TCM educational institutions and called for strengthening the construction of negative pressure wards in TCM hospitals.

"TCM has consistently played an important role in the control and treatment of more than 500 plagues recorded in Chinese history. Its role is especially important in treating COVID-19," Zhang says.

A white paper released by the State Council Information Office noted that in Hubei, of which Wuhan is the capital, over 90 percent of confirmed cases received TCM treatment that proved effective.