The World Federation has been invited to attend the United Nations Multi-stakeholder Hearing on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response (PPPR)

       On June 9, 2026, U.S. time, the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (hereinafter referred to as “WFCMS”) was invited to attend the High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Prevention, Preparedness and Response, held in the Trusteeship Council Chamber at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA.

       This hearing is an interactive, multi-stakeholder forum convened by decision of the President of the United Nations General Assembly pursuant to UN General Assembly Resolution 79/333. It aims to provide a dialogue platform for all relevant stakeholders to explore how multilateralism can ensure equitable access and enable the global community to jointly address the prevention, preparedness, and response to pandemics. Dr. Tian Haihe, Vice President of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies and Founding President of the American TCM Association, was appointed by the Federation to represent it at this meeting.

       The conference brought together official representatives from the five continents, ambassadors to the United Nations, and representatives from non-governmental organizations. In a video address, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization, emphasized that only through concerted global cooperation can countries achieve victory in the fight against the pandemic.

 

 

       During the interactive session of the conference, attending representatives actively offered suggestions. In addition to submitting written statements on the two agenda items, Dr. Tian Haihe delivered an impromptu speech, pointing out that the Chinese nation’s experience in dealing with hundreds of epidemics over the past two millennia, particularly the recent practices in fighting SARS and the COVID-19 pandemic, fully demonstrates the unique advantages of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). He emphasized that in the face of medical resource shortages and fiscal pressures, TCM should be integrated into mainstream medical official pandemic prevention guidelines rather than being marginalized. He elaborated on the key role of TCM throughout the entire cycle of the pandemic: in the prevention stage, it can intervene early to protect susceptible populations and control the spread of the epidemic; in the treatment stage, it can alleviate symptoms in the face of unknown diseases, prevent mild cases from becoming severe, and reduce mortality rates, while also holding supplementary value for those allergic to vaccines or in regions with vaccine shortages; in the recovery stage, it can effectively improve post-sequelae such as “Long COVID.” Therefore, he called on governments of all countries to value traditional medicine and formally incorporate TCM into policies and regulations regarding pandemic prevention and control as well as post-illness rehabilitation.

 

       The Conference Chair specifically commented on the speech given by Dr. Tian Haihe, Vice President of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies (WFCMS), and expressed full approval. She expressed deep gratitude for the valuable experience shared and suggested that everyone attach importance to the role of Traditional Chinese Medicine.

 

 

       In addition, representatives from other stakeholders also put forward constructive suggestions covering multiple dimensions, including government-enterprise coordination, resource allocation, community care, and psychological counseling.

       After the hearing, the chairperson of the conference summarized the outcomes of the meeting and pledged to convey the insights and feedback from all parties to the relevant organizations to help refine policies and regulations.

       In the future, the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Societies will continue to actively participate in global health governance with its special consultative status as a non-governmental organization, contributing Chinese wisdom to the global development of TCM and the building of a community of common health for humanity.