Inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, palpation, acupuncture, moxibustion, tuina, cupping, and scraping... In a bustling traditional Chinese medicine hospital, Nkrumah Seth, a young African man, wears a white coat and shuttles between various wards. He communicates cordially with patients in fluent Chinese, and occasionally utters a few authentic Northeastern dialects, which elicit continuous laughter in the wards.
Nkrumah Seth, an international student from the Republic of Ghana in West Africa, is currently pursuing his PhD in Nephrology at Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. When discussing the reason behind his long journey to study traditional Chinese medicine in Liaoning Province in China, Nkrumah Seth’s tone becomes grave. “After my mother passed away from a severe kidney disease, I decided to study medicine to prevent this from happening to many others like her.” In 2012, Nkrumah Seth encountered traditional Chinese medicine, and he believed that it could not only treat illnesses and save lives, but also significantly impact people’s lives in terms of disease prevention, health preservation, and rehabilitation. Therefore, he resolutely decided to travel to Liaoning to pursue his studies.
In September 2012, Nkrumah Seth was admitted to the traditional Chinese medicine major at Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. To quickly master professional knowledge, he got up at four o’clock every morning to study. Besides attending classes, he spent most of his time in the library. After entering the graduate school, Nkrumah Seth began accompanying his mentor on clinical visits to take patients’ pulses and inquire about their symptoms. “Under the guidance of my mentor, I apply theoretical knowledge and use the four diagnostic methods of ‘inspection, auscultation and olfaction, inquiry, palpation’ to help patients understand their physical condition.” During each pulse feeling, Nkrumah Seth always explains to patients that traditional Chinese medicine emphasizes the four diagnostic methods, and pulse feeling is just one of them. Only by comprehensively examining the patient’s condition through the “combined application of the four diagnostic methods” can an accurate diagnosis be made.
Recently, the night market featuring traditional Chinese medicine culture has become a hit in Shenyang City. Nkrumah Seth also set up a stall at the night market to provide free clinical diagnoses, with a long queue of citizens waiting to have their pulses taken and be diagnosed by him. “This is my first time participating in a free clinic event. Before coming, I was worried whether people would accept a foreign national for diagnosis and treatment. But when I accurately described their symptoms, many citizens gave me a thumbs-up,” Nkrumah Seth said excitedly. “The learning outcomes from my studies at Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine have been recognized by other people, which is the greatest encouragement for me.”
“After learning acupuncture and moxibustion in traditional Chinese medicine, I used it to cure my father’s frequent urination and my sister’s menstrual pain. This amazing healing power also sparked my passion for introducing traditional Chinese medicine to the international community.” Since his undergraduate studies, Nkrumah Seth has used his knowledge of traditional Chinese medicine to help prevent diseases and maintain health among the people in his hometown whenever he returns during holidays.
“People here were initially unfamiliar with traditional Chinese medicine. During my graduate studies, I wrote some academic articles about traditional Chinese medicine and published them in Ghana. And I was also invited to the local radio station to regularly promote traditional Chinese medicine knowledge for health preservation and disease prevention. As a result, everyone’s recognition of traditional Chinese medicine has become increasingly high”. Besides spreading traditional Chinese medicine in his homeland, Nkrumah Seth has also gone abroad to popularize traditional Chinese medicine knowledge in Burkina Faso in West Africa, allowing more people to understand and learn to use traditional Chinese medicine.
Nkrumah Seth said confidently, “After completing my doctoral studies, I plan to return to Ghana to open a traditional Chinese medicine clinic and establish the first traditional Chinese medicine training center in Ghana. My ultimate dream is to spread traditional Chinese medicine across the globe, benefiting more people and making it the world’s medicine.”
