A Brief History

1. To establish “Singapore Chinese Medical Society” (the predecessor of the Singapore Chinese Physicians’ Association)

2. To elect the preparatory committee members:
   Wu Rui Fu, Zeng He Sheng, Chen Zhan Wei, Huang Shao Yu, Xu Yun Zhi, Chen Jian Ji, Zeng Zhi Yuan and Wu Long Fei

3. To elect Xu Yun Zhi, Zeng Zhi Yuan and Chen Jian Ji to take charge of drafting the constitution

4. To borrow Shang Hang Clan Association as a temporary preparatory office for the society

After two months of preparatory work, the Singapore Chinese Medical Society finally held the Founding Assembly and the first general inaugural ceremony of councilors on the 27th October 1946. The Singapore Chinese Medical Society had two objectives:

1. To propagate the Chinese medical principles, to study world medicine, to acquire the specialities of world medicine, to achieve mastery through a comprehensive study of the subject

2. To contact with the profession, to study together TCM, to enhance the efficacy of TCM

At the second general meeting in 1947, the Singapore Chinese Medical Society followed the legal rules concerning the names of the Chinese physicians’ organizations issued by the Chinese government at that time, and was officially renamed as “Singapore Chinese Physicians’ Association”.


The Establishment of Medical Services, Education and Research in the Fifties and Sixties

In 1952, due to the increasing number of poor patients, the executive committee of the Singapore Chinese Physicians’ Association (SCPA) hence started to establish a charitable clinic. After many preparations, it held the first staff inauguration of “Zhong Hua Shi Zhen Suo” (the predecessor of Chung Hwa Free Clinic) on Chinese Physicians’ Day, 17th March of the same year. It also borrowed Chung Shan Wui Koon as the clinic’s temporary location.

ON the other hand, the new immigration ordinance issued by the British colonial government at that time had caused the TCM talents coming from southern China to decrease day by day. The Singapore Chinese medical circles would be faced with the distress of a lack of successors. The executive committee of SCPA therefore determined to establish a school to train TCM successors in Singapore. After some preparations, the “Chinese Physicians’ Training School” (the predecessor of Singapore Chinese Physicians’ Training College) was established on 11th January 1953 and held its first school opening ceremony.

Owing to the support of the broad masses towards the charitable consultation work of the free clinic as well as the need for educational work and long-term development, SCPA therefore actively raised funds for the building of the association. On 24th November 1956, our association finally moved into its own premises at 3rd storey, No. 202 Telok Ayer Street (presently the Telok Ayer Chung Hwa Free Clinic). AT the same time, “Zhong Hua Shi Zhen Suo” was officially renamed as “Chung Hwa Free Clinic”.

IN 1959, in order to raise the academic standard of TCM, develop the specialities of TCM and to acquire the benefits of world medicine, our association gathered therapeutic techniques extensively. On 20th September of the same year, it passed the resolution to establish the “Traditional Chinese Medicine and Drugs Research Institute” (the predecessor of Chinese Medical and Drugs Research Institute”. And in the following year, it officially held the founding ceremony on 24th January.

As such, the SCPA has developed into the largest, local TCM organization, which incorporates medicine, teaching and research as one.


Development of the Learning of TCM – Establishment of a Modernised Medical Organisation

Beginning from 1971, the councilors of SCPA immediately focused all efforts on making preparations for the establishment of a modernized clinic. Under the great support of prominent personages of the government and society as well as people of different strata, the Toa Payoh Chung Hwa Free Clinic finally held its opening ceremony on 27th October 1979. The completion of the Toa Payoh Chung Hwa Free Clinic building symbolized that Singapore Chinese medical circles had made a giant stride forward. It had established a new field for learning and researching TCM as well. In this new phase, in order to advance the standard of TCM treatment, our association had decided to emphasize on the clinical therapeutic effects of Chung Hwa Free Clinic and to concentrate efforts on moving towards TCM academic research.

Along with the general blossoming of acupuncture research and application, in order to study, spread and promote acupuncture learning, the association councilors and members made preparations for the setting up of a “Chinese Acupuncture Research Institution”, which was officially set up on 18th May the following year.

In 1978, when China implemented the open-door policy, our association organized a group for the first time to visit various TCM organizations of China. From then on, our association became more active in expanding international contacts. Whenever there were international or regional Chinese medical congresses being held, our association would try to send members to deliver the related papers or to participate in the occasion to broaden their knowledge. On the other hand, beginning from the 1980s, Chinese medical scholars and experts from China and personages of medical academic circles from various places of the world came to visit our association one after another. In promoting academic exchanges with one another, they had built up a very deep friendship. This made our association gradually become a Chinese medical development center for the Southeast Asian region.

In 1983, our association invited the Federation of Chinese Physicians’ and Medicine Dealers Association of Malaysia, the Chinese Medical Association of Thailand, the Bangkok Medicine Trader’s Association, the Ikatan Naturopatis Indonesia, the Philippine Chinese Medical Herbalist Association and the Philippine Chamber of Chinese Drugs Dealers’ Association Inc. to jointly organize the first Asean Congress of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Until now, our association is still taking charge of the secretarial work for the congress, and it had successfully held the first and fourth Asean Congress of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Undoubtedly, it plays a positive, facilitative and influential role in the development of TCM of the various Asean countries as well as the improvement of the standards of academic and medical techniques.

Beginning from 1987, our association takes an active part in the academic activities of the World Federation of Acupuncture Societies (WFAS). It was also the only and earliest academic organization in the Asean region to join the WFAS. Our association was also elected as a member for the first executive committee of the WFAS and as the vice-chairman of the third session. In 1997, during the fourth convention of the WFAS held in Beijing, our association was again elected as the vice-chairman (1998-2000).


Commitment in Establishing a Comprehensive TCM medical Treatment System

Since 1994 onwards, the Singapore Ministry of Health (MOH) began to show concern towards the Chinese medical circles and formed a “Committee on Traditional Chinese Medicine” to inquire into the problems of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) profession in Singapore. This committee examined the TCM situation at that time and presented a report (White Paper) on TCM in October 1995. The report spoke highly of TCM in our country. It affirmed the decisive role played by TCM in the medical and health services in our country. More importantly, it set an objective for the future trend of TCM in Singapore. Besides, MOH encouraged all the Chinese medical organizations in Singapore to jointly establish a “Federation Traditoinal Chinese Medical Board” so as to discuss and study together with MOH the measures to improve the standard of TCM in Singapore. It was incumbent upon the SCPA to respond to the ministry’s appeal. In May 1995, it initiated the establishment of the “Singapore Coordinating Committee of Chinese Medical Organizations” jointly with seven other organizations. The president of our association, physician Neo Say Hai, was elected chairman of the committee, taking charge of and guiding the day-to-day work. The secretariat was also set up in our association. After the founding of the coordinating committee, it drew up the “Practice Guidelines and Ethical Codes for Singapore Chinese Physicians”. It had also drawn up the “Guiding Principles Memorandum for Singapore Chinese Medical Education” and distributed the Singapore “Chinese Physicians’ Register”. All these would lay down the foundation for Singapore Chinese physicians to move towards a comprehensive standardized specialization.

In March 1998, MOH announced that it would conduct registration of Singapore acupuncturists in AD 2000. MOH will assist in the drawing up of a set of training standards and the arrangement of centralized appraisal examination to assess the standard of acupuncturists applying for registration. During the transitional period, the application of those acupuncturists who are already in practice and had received sufficient training and with experience will be appraised individually. Those acupuncturists with proper qualifications and experience will be exempted from taking the centralized appraisal examination. For this purpose, MOH specially set up the Acupuncture Advanced Course Organizing Committee so as to make rulings and arrangements for the acupuncture advanced course. Physician Teo Eng Kiat, the director of the Singapore College of Traditional Chinese Medicine, would assume the chairman of this committee. At the same time, physician Ng Whay Teck was also appointed a member of the Chinese Propriety Medicine Consultative Committee.

On 8th and 9th December 2001, our association hosted the “WFAS 2001 International Convention of Acupuncture Studies”. Its theme was “international Acupuncture Research, Education and Clinical Treatment in the New Century”. Nearly 600 participants from 17 countries and regions attended the convention. Internationally renowned acupuncture experts and academic greats delivered over 70 theses throughout the convention.

In January 2001, MOH started to register Chinese physicians. Before this, MOH had sought the opinions of the coordinating committee regarding the registering guidelines for Chinese physicians. Our association has also conveyed the views of various members via the committee. When MOH set up the transitional period qualification assessment group, Chinese physician Hong Liang, director of Chung Hwa Free Clinic, was appointed chairman. Many committee members of our association also served in the working group.

In February 2002, Health Sciences Authority (HSA) set up a working committee comprising the “Singapore Coordinating Committee of Chinese Medical Organizations”, “Singapore Joint Committee of Chinese Drugs Organizations” and representatives from HSA. Our association’s vice president Chinese physician Chen Bi Lian represented the coordinating committee in the working committee.


A Brief Summary

To sum up comprehensively the development progress of our association, the elder pioneers and each council session had done a great deal of work in respect to Chinese medical services, education and academic research. This made our association not only become the main stream of TCM undertakings in Singapore, but also the development center for TCM undertakings in Southeast Asia, which had received regional and even international recognition and appreciation. In the days to come, the Singapore Chinese Physicians’ Association will continue to fulfill the mission bestowed by history and to write a glorious page for Singapore TCM undertakings.

With the advent of globalization becoming more and more evident in the 21st century, TCM has also become more widespread and reach the hearts of many in its dissemination and development worldwide. It has risen into an essential part of human hygiene and healthcare and is a shared wealth. We will certainly realize the goal of the World Health Organization, which is to let everyone healthcare and treatment in the 21st century.