VALETTA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- The 20th Chinese medical team for Malta from the Mediterranean Regional Centre for Traditional Chinese Medicine (MRCTCM) provided free clinical services to elderly residents on Wednesday at the Chinese Garden of Serenity in Santa Lucija, southern Malta.

Yang Libai, the team leader, delivered a lecture on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), explaining the role of acupuncture in treating common ailments such as neck, lower back, and leg pain. Additionally, he guided attendees in identifying key acupoints, detailing their functions and applications.

The interactive session was met with enthusiasm, with many participants describing TCM as both mysterious and approachable. Following the lecture, Yang provided blood pressure checks and traditional Chinese massage therapy to attendees.

Cettina, 79, said that her niece had once undergone acupuncture for anxiety disorder, which significantly alleviated her symptoms. "I've always had a favorable impression of TCM," she said, adding that she was eager to try acupuncture herself, as she had suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and joint swelling for years.

Miriam, 68, expressed her satisfaction with the event, noting that she learned a lot from the TCM lecture. Having tried acupuncture before, she was impressed by its positive effects. "I'm very interested in TCM theories, especially acupoints. This time, I learned about moxibustion," she said, adding that she was considering trying moxibustion in the future to relieve her back and waist pain.

The event aimed to introduce TCM culture to more local residents by offering health consultations and free medical services, Yang said, emphasizing that similar events would continue to be held to increase public understanding and experience of TCM.

The MRCTCM was established by the Chinese and Maltese governments in 1994. To date, 20 Chinese medical teams comprising over 100 doctors have provided TCM treatments to approximately 250,000 Maltese patients.■