Tianshannet-Xinjiang Daily (Reporter Yu Mengfan) news: “Don’t feel too pressured; a positive mindset is very helpful in treating skin diseases.” Tuerxun Wufuer, Director of the Diagnosis and Treatment Center of the Dermatology Department, Hospital of Xinjiang Traditional Uygur Medicine (Second People’s Hospital), said these encouraging words to a patient after feeling the patient’s pulse during ward rounds on November 16.

Photo taken on November 16, 2023 shows Tuerxun Wufuer communicates with patients in the ward about his condition. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Yu Mengfan)

Tuerxun has been practicing medicine for 37 years. He and his colleagues have filled the void in clinical standards for skin disorders in the field of Uygur medicine. Speaking of the breakthroughs over the years, the famed doctor in his 50s said, “These achievements would not have been possible without the country’s prioritization of ethnomedicine and talent.”

A more challenging path

In 1986, the young Tuerxun began his one-year residency at the hospital he is now working with. At the time, the hospital did not have an independent dermatology department.

“Sir, can my disease be cured? I can’t wait to go to school,” a little boy under 10 years old said to Tuerxun one day. The boy suffered skin ulcers all over his body due to congenital skin defects and was brought to the hospital by his grandmother. His innocent, eager eyes touched Tuerxun deeply.

Tuerxun lay for a long time sleepless that night. After the end of his residency, he was assigned to the hospital’s Internal Medicine Department to study under Baki Yusup, a master of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). While it was a rare opportunity for every young doctor, Tuerxun couldn’t forget the boy’s eyes. One year later, he decided to transfer to the Surgery Department, although the reputed teacher wished him to stay with the Internal Medicine Department. In 1989, Tuerxun and his colleagues established the Dermatology Department.

“In 1997, we were entrusted by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine to carry out the leucoderma research program. That boosted our confidence in skin disease diagnosis and treatment,” said Tuerxun.

Reziwanguli Wumaier, Director of the Dermatology Department, is a colleague and old classmate of Tuerxun. She recalled that thanks to the country’s ethnic medicine talent training policy, she and Tuerxun were both admitted to the undergraduate program for Uygur medicine at the School of Continuing Education, Xinjiang Medical University, in 1998.

Combining theoretical knowledge and clinical practices, Tuerxun and his colleagues have worked hard to develop Uygur medicine specialities. After years of effort, the clinical department with only 25 beds has grown into a national-level key clinical department with 153 beds in three wards and a regional diagnosis and treatment center under the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine. It has also been designated as the National Key Laboratory for Leucoderma Diagnosis and Treatment.

When asked whether he regretted leaving the Internal Medicine Department years later, Tuerxun answered, “If I had stayed with Doctor Baki Yusup in the Internal Medicine Department, I might have accomplished more. But I don’t have regrets about my decision. Every path must be travelled by someone. If taking a more challenging path could bring more benefits to patients, then it is the right path.”

From three months to 20 days

In order to gather treatment techniques and methods for a national research project, Tuerxun visited veteran doctors of TCM across Xinjiang from 2002 to 2006. He aimed to establish or revise the specifications, technical standards, and operation guides for skin disease diagnosis and treatment using Uygur medicine.

More often than not, Tuerxun was warmly greeted by the veteran doctors, but when asked about techniques, they often smiled and evaded the question, or simply changed the subject. Tuerxun knew that these famous doctors would find it unacceptable to disclose the formulas that had been kept secret for generations.

Photo taken on November 16, 2023 shows Tuerxun Wufuer checks his work plan. (Photo by Shiliuyun-Xinjiang Daily/ Yu Mengfan)

During his fifth visit to a well-known Uygur doctor, Tuerxun said, “After contracting leucoderma, young and beautiful girls may struggle to find a date, and bright and capable men may feel inferior. It generally takes three months to finish a course of treatment. If we can consolidate and promote good treatment techniques and methods, the time needed for treatment can be shortened, and patients with skin diseases will have the opportunity to live a healthy and happy life.” The veteran doctor was moved by his sincerity and finally agreed to take him as his apprentice.

Based on the materials gathered, Tuerxun and his team worked with other organizations in Hami City, Hotan Prefecture, Kashi Prefecture, Turpan City, and Aksu Prefecture to develop a set of standards and specifications such as the Uygur medicine clinical pathways and treatment schemes for leucoderma and the leucoderma diagnosis and treatment guidelines, filling the void in the field of skin disease diagnosis and treatment using Uygur medicine.

After that, he proposed the “pathogenic theory of blood heat” for psoriasis and eczema, the “pathogenic theory of cold damp, cholestasis, and weakness of kidney” for leucoderma, etc. Clinically, he uses the original therapy of “cooling blood and clearing toxin” to treat psoriasis and eczema. The course of treatment for psoriasis vulgaris is greatly shortened, and the control rate is increased to 77%. The recovery rate for eczema reached 61.5%, and that of leucoderma reached 11.4%.

“It took 13 years to shorten the course of leucoderma treatment from three months to 20 days. This is the result of hard work of countless veteran TCM doctors,” said Tuerxun. “Ethnic medicine is an integral part of TCM. As the inheritor, we should fulfill our responsibility and mission to let people of all ethnic groups benefit from innovation.”

Engaging more people in the endeavor

This year, Tuerxun and his colleagues set up the sixth batch of national-level TCM expert workshops at TCM hospitals (hospitals of traditional Uygur medicine) in regions such as Aksu Prefecture and Kashi Prefecture. Training sessions and joint consultations are organized on a regular basis.

“Thanks to the country’s policy support, primary-level hospitals of traditional Uygur medicine have developed rapidly, and the people have convenient access to quality medical services.” In September this year, Tuerxun went to Wushi County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Hospital of Traditional Uygur Medicine). He was amazed that the once small and poorly equipped clinic has become a grade A secondary hospital with a neat environment and complete infrastructure.

The hospital used to be a small clinic 30 years ago. In 2016, under an assistance project for Xinjiang, Quzhou City of Zhejiang Province helped renovate the hospital, which now has three buildings and 15 clinical and medical technology departments, and the gynecology, rehabilitation, and dermatology departments are region-level key specialties. Since 2019, a number of experts from tertiary hospitals in and outside of Xinjiang have come to the hospital to provide targeted guidance and support. This year, three veteran doctors’ clinics have been established at the hospital. At present, the hospital offers over 75 TCM diagnosis and treatment programs, 25 non-drug therapies, and more than 380 types of Chinese herbal medicines.

“We have delivered medical services to the community level many times and witnessed the development of over 40 hospitals of traditional Uygur medicine in Xinjiang over the years. The country has attached great importance to TCM, and a number of ethnic medicine research projects have been launched. Our hospital alone has received tens of millions of yuan in funding for 22 national and region-level key projects.” Tuerxun and his colleagues have collected and developed 11 appropriate techniques for treating skin diseases. These techniques have been included in region-level medical service programs and been applied and promoted at more than 40 hospitals of traditional Uygur medicine in Xinjiang.

“Doctors find their greatest happiness in protecting people’s health. To be a good doctor is my life purpose.” Tuerxun plans to bring the techniques and methods to more hospitals to facilitate clinicians’ diagnosis and treatment and help more patients improve their health conditions.