Bai Xinyu (L), a member of the Chinese medical team, gives guidance to Tanzanian traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioner Fatma Ally Abdallah during a cupping therapy session at Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Zanzibar, Tanzania, Oct. 4, 2025.(Xinhua/Nurdin Pallangyo)

by Xinhua writers Hua Hongli, Lucas Liganga

DAR ES SALAAM, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- At the acupuncture therapy unit of Mnazi Mmoja Hospital in Tanzania's Zanzibar, the soft sound of needles being prepared mingles with the calm voices of practitioners, mostly women trained in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Among them is Fatma Ally Abdallah, a TCM practitioner who joined the hospital's acupuncture department in 2021.

"I learned acupuncture right here from the Chinese medical team," she said with a proud smile. "Every year, new Chinese doctors come, teaching us different acupuncture points for conditions like sciatica, stroke, and facial paralysis. Each visit brings us something new."

Abdallah's journey into TCM began when she was introduced to acupuncture, cupping, and massage therapy. What started as curiosity soon turned into a calling.

"Since I began, I've treated many patients, about 90 each month, most of them women," she told Xinhua recently. "People here truly appreciate acupuncture. It's natural, effective, and helps them find relief."

As women around the world prepare to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, often known as the Beijing Women's Conference, through the Global Summit of Women held in Beijing later this month, Abdallah's experience reflects one of the key themes of that landmark conference: empowering women through education, skills, and leadership.

At Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, empowerment is taking shape through acupuncture needles and the spirit of collaboration, with the acupuncture unit standing as a symbol of women's leadership in healthcare, a reminder that empowerment comes not only through policy but through practice.

For Bai Xinyu, a female TCM doctor stationed at the hospital, the mission goes beyond treating patients.

"I believe in health equality," Bai said. "As a woman, I understand the cultural taboos local female patients face. Combining acupuncture with modern medicine respects their customs while ensuring effective treatment."

Her work, she said, is about empathy as much as it is about expertise. "A doctor's value isn't just in skills, but in understanding people," she explained. "When I see a local nurse become confident in her work after training, that's the most meaningful result."

Zhou Fang, another member of the Chinese medical team, has viewed TCM as a valuable partner in the local healthcare system, noting that acupuncture works well for chronic conditions like arthritis, back pain, and recovery after a stroke.

"I demonstrate, then supervise local practitioners as they perform the procedure themselves," he said. "The goal is for them to become independent. We're not just providing aid; we're building a team that will continue the work long after we're gone."

He praised his Tanzanian colleagues for their resilience and dedication. "As nurses, they are hardworking. As learners, they are eager. This partnership is mutual; we share our knowledge, and we also learn from their experience."

At Mnazi Mmoja Hospital, the bridge between Chinese and Tanzanian medicine continues to grow, built by steady hands, shared knowledge, and a common belief in the power of healing.

Abdallah dreams of going to China one day to further her studies. "I've learned a lot here," she said. "But I want to learn more, to master acupuncture and bring that knowledge back home."

Her aspiration echoes the spirit of the 1995 Beijing conference, which called for women's full participation in science, education, and development. Today, as nations mark the 30th anniversary of the conference, women like Abdallah, Bai, and their colleagues are living proof of that vision in action. ■