Tags：Medical and HealthOverseas

MOA International Inc., together with the MOA Health Science Center Foundation, has reached an agreement with the Department of Traditional and Alternative Medicine, Ministry of Public Health of the Kingdom of Thailand to share information and technology in the fields of alternative and integrative medicine, as well as to jointly promote academic research and human resource development. A cooperation agreement was signed in this regard. The Ministry immediately began posting pictures of the signing ceremony on social media.

 

 

The signing ceremony was held on October 18th in a conference room at the Department of Traditional and Alternative Medicine of Thailand, with Dr. Somlerk Jeungsmam, MD, director-general of the department, giving a speech. After confirming that the three parties have built a cooperative relationship over many years, he expressed his hope that this latest agreement will “further expand this cooperative relationship and contribute to academic exchange, research, human resource development, and the development of other fields.”

 

 

In response, Kohei Nakajima, President of MOA International, pointed out that in Japan, traditional medicine has been left behind since the Meiji Restoration and treatment-centered Western medicine has become mainstream. Today, chronic diseases are on the rise and social and psychological support is needed, while terminal care that takes spirituality into account is becoming increasingly important. As he learned about the Thai spirit and way of life, which has preserved traditional medicine and values prevention, health promotion, medical care, and community, President Nakajima said, “I would like to work hard to realize new medical care that values human dignity and a decent way of life.”

 

 

Additionally, from the research perspective, such as the effectiveness of alternative medicine, MOA Health Science Center Chairman Kiyoshi Suzuki confirmed that research into the effects of flowers against depression had begun after MOA’s Arts and Culture Program improved the symptoms of patients at Si Than Ya Psychiatric Hospital. He also confirmed that there had been an overwhelming response to the current state of integrative medicine in Japan and the significance of MOA’s Health and Wellness Program, which were introduced at an international symposium held in Thailand in July. He stated that as these exchanges continue to build on each other, “we would like to work towards the realization of medical care that values human dignity, including spirituality, and medical care that values care supported by the ties of the community.”

 

 

 

Director-general Jeungsmam, President Nakajima and Chairman Suzuki then signed a cooperation agreement on academic exchange, research and human resource development in the fields of alternative and integrative medicine. Afterwards, President Nakajima and Chairman Suzuki had friendly talks with Director-general Jeungsmam and others. Under the guidance of Dr. Somsak Krishai, Director of the Department of Traditional Medicine, the group toured health care facilities that use traditional Thai medicine, including the Thai Health Promotion Center.

 

 

 

 

◆Wishing for the improvement of integrated medical care in Thailand

◆Continuing various exchanges with one heart

 

In Thailand, like in Japan, the incidence of cancer, brain diseases, heart diseases, and other illnesses is on the rise. In addition, as lifestyles become more Westernized, traditional eating habits based on rice, vegetables, and fish are gradually breaking down, accelerating the increase in lifestyle-related diseases. In 2002, the “Traditional and Alternative Medicine Development Agency” was established under the Ministry of Health as a promotion body for researching the effectiveness of traditional and alternative medicines and utilizing them in the medical field. Based on the National Health Basic Law, research into not only Western medicine but also traditional medicines such as massage and herbs and their use in the medical field are being actively promoted, and various alternative medicines are also being used. The Department of Traditional and Alternative Medicine is building cooperative relationships with various countries, particularly neighboring countries, and is working to introduce Ayurveda, yoga, homeopathy, herbal medicines, and other therapies, while also working to make Thailand a hub for traditional and alternative medicine in Asia.

 

 

MOA International, together with the MOA Health Science Center, has long had a cooperative relationship with the Department of Thai Traditional and Alternative Medicine. In 2006, they visited the Office of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (OCAM) and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the United States, a country at the forefront of integrative medicine, to observe the practice of alternative medicine. The Medical Bureau delegation visited Tokyo Ryôin Wellness Center, a model facility for integrative medicine; Ohito Farm, a research farm using natural farming method; the Oku-Atami Ryôin Wellness Center, an integrative medicine facility; and the MOA Museum of Art and signed an agreement to continue exchanges and utilize what they learned to improve integrative medicine in Thailand.

 

 

 

Since then, the MOA Thailand Foundation has participated in the Herbal Medicine Fair (Herb Expo), which is held annually by the Ministry of Public Health at the international exhibition center IMPACT (Muang Thong Thani) and is visited by approximately 100,000 people. The Foundation has introduced the Okada Health and Wellness Program and also conducted the MOA training for the Minister of Public Health, inspectors, and doctors. It is against this backdrop that the current cooperative agreement will be concluded, which will not only help to further advance research into traditional medicine such as Thai massage but will also lead to further development of human resources to introduce the Okada Health and Wellness Program into hospitals across Thailand. It is highly anticipated that this agreement will lead to the resolution of health problems not only in Thailand, but throughout Asia.