TCM plays key role in fight against malaria

April 25 marked this year’s World Malaria Day, and the International Forum on the 50th Anniversary of the Discovery of Artemisinin and on Building a Global Community of Health for All was held in Beijing.

In a congratulatory message sent to the event, President Xi Jinping said that by promoting the global use of artemisinin, China has helped save millions of lives worldwide and the country hopes to join global efforts to tackle challenges together and build a global community of health for all.

The National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine said in a meeting on April 26 that artemisinin is emblematic of the innovative use of TCM.

Artemisinin, extracted from sweet wormwood, is the core compound of the most effective malaria-fighting drug known so far. Its discovery, led by Chinese scientist Tu Youyou in 1972, won her a Nobel Prize in 2015.