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Traditional Chinese Medicine Training in Mali: “A Revolution of Sorts” but Skepticism Remains

by Esther Ejiroghene Ajari
Mali's Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, Mahamadou Famantaf speaking at a vocational training seminar on Traditional Chinese Medicine organized by the Chinese embassy in February 2020.

In December 2019, when the Tianjin government launched its Luban Workshop in Mali, it stood out from the Luban Workshops (named after Lu Ban, the father of Chinese architecture) in other African countries which offer courses on ultra-modern device manufacturing, high-speed rail technologies and Chinese cuisine preparation.

The Malian Luban Workshop offers practical courses on Traditional Chinese Medicine, part of China’s campaign to promote TCM and its acceptability in Mali and elsewhere in Africa. Three years ago, the value of annual TCM exports to Africa was estimated to be USD 80 millionand it is reportedly China’s fastest growing export to Africa.

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