Peng Yijun (R), charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Malta, shakes hands with director general of Malta's Department for Health Services Clarence Pace at the opening of a weight loss specialist clinic in Paola, Malta, on July 30, 2024. The new specialist clinic that uses traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat obese patients opened in Paola on Tuesday. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

Speaking at the opening of the clinic at the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM), Peng Yijun, charge d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy in Malta, stressed China's commitment to continuing deep cooperation with Malta in the health and wellness sectors, and supporting the development of the MRCTCM.

Meanwhile, Director General of Malta's Department for Health Services Clarence Pace said that Malta is grappling with rising obesity rates, and must take proactive measures to combat this epidemic.

The specialist weight loss clinic represents such a measure and is a significant milestone in the MRCTCM's commitment to improving the health and well-being of the Maltese population, he said.

Feng Hua (R, Front), leader of the 19th Chinese medical team for Malta, demonstrates a treatment during a traditional Chinese medicine lecture in Siggiewi, Malta, on July 12, 2024. (Photo by Jonathan Borg/Xinhua)

Pace highlighted that TCM offers a holistic approach to health and wellness.

Feng Hua, head of the 19th Chinese medical team for Malta from the MRCTCM, said that the weight loss clinic mainly uses acupuncture to treat patients. It also offers catgut embedding therapy for weight loss, which can reduce the frequency of patients' visits.

According to the World Health Organization's European Regional Obesity Report from May 2022, over three-quarters of male adults in Malta are overweight. This is the highest rate among the 52 countries making up the WHO's European region. Meanwhile, nearly 60 percent of female adults in Malta are overweight, the second-highest in the region.

Feng Hua (L), leader of the 19th Chinese medical team for Malta, offers health consultations to John Boxall, mayor of Birgu, in Birgu, Malta, on May 24, 2024. (Xinhua/Chen Wenxian)

The MRCTCM was established by the Chinese and Maltese governments in 1994. To date, 19 Chinese medical teams, comprising over 100 doctors, have provided TCM treatments to approximately 250,000 Maltese patients.  ■