Egyptian doctors offered a prolonged prognosis of bedridden illness for Ayoub's 33-year-old son, who suffered from severe joint and abdominal pain. In November, Ayoub turned to the Chinese Consulate-General in Alexandria for help exploring TCM treatment options.

Fortunately, a delegation led by Wang Luming, chairman of the Qingdao Municipal People's Congress Standing Committee, was visiting Egypt at the time. Upon learning about Ayoub's son's condition, Wang coordinated with a medical team from the Qingdao Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Shandong province.

The team, led by 82-year-old veteran TCM expert Qu Chongkun, devised a treatment plan using herbal medicine delivered through online consultations due to distance and language barriers. Qingdao authorities facilitated communication with the family and arranged for the herbal medicine's shipment.

Ayoub reported significant improvement in her son's health within months. "He can now live a normal life and has even returned to work," she said at a cultural exchange event in Qingdao focused on TCM practices.

The event also sparked Ayoub's interest in TCM. "The effectiveness of TCM has been consistently impressive," she said, expressing a desire for wider availability of TCM services in Egypt.

During the exchange, Ayoub expressed her gratitude by presenting plaques to the hospital and medical staff. "I brought these from Egypt to show my sincere appreciation," she said.

Qu acknowledged the patient's initial critical condition. "Our team offered the best possible TCM solutions," he said. "It's gratifying to see his recovery. We discussed his health further and provided additional advice today."

Wang hailed the successful treatment as a testament to the strong China-Egypt friendship and the potential of TCM to bridge cultural divides. He also highlighted future collaboration opportunities between the port cities of Qingdao and Alexandria in trade, economy, cultural exchange, and tourism.

From Chinadaily.com.cn