Cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes are among the leading causes of death in Suriname and are placing increasing pressure on healthcare. Chinese medical specialists see opportunities to use elements from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment and especially prevention of these chronic conditions. According to experts from the Dongzhimen Hospital in Beijing, this is clearly a supplement to regular medical care.
Text and image Ivan Cairo
Particularly in the field of prevention, Chinese experts believe that experiences from China could be interesting for countries struggling with a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD). During a tour of Dongzhimen Hospital in Beijing, doctors and other experts explained that TCM is not separate from modern medicine. Both forms of treatment are applied alongside and in combination with each other in various departments.
The emphasis is not exclusively on treating a disease after it has developed. Nutrition, exercise, sleep, physical condition and other lifestyle factors also receive attention. The underlying principle is that early intervention can help prevent health problems or slow down the development of chronic conditions.
This is especially relevant for NCDs, because many of the most important risk factors are modifiable. High blood pressure, obesity, insufficient exercise and unhealthy diet can be present for years before serious complications arise.
During the tour, the doctors in Dongzhimen also pointed out patients who were suffering from several chronic conditions at the same time. This poses an increasing challenge for health systems. In China, the share of adults with multiple chronic conditions rose from 28.3 percent in 2009 to 38.9 percent in 2023, according to research.
Within TCM, an attempt is made to jointly assess various complaints and the general physical condition of the patient. In Chinese healthcare, traditional methods are therefore integrated into the management of chronic diseases in several places.
Figures Suriname
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimated around 2,600 deaths from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in 2021, about half of all deaths that year. Surinamese figures also show how heavily cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes weigh in particular.
The 2024 Financial Annual Plan, based on data from the Office for Public Health Care (BOG) and the Central Office for Civil Affairs, lists, among other things, 842 deaths from cardiovascular disease for 2022. Cancer claimed 360 lives and diabetes 164. These three disease groups were together responsible for 1,366 deaths.
The fight against NCDs is therefore increasingly on the Surinamese health agenda. During the preparation of the National Action Plan for NCDs 2025-2030, chronic conditions have once again been identified as the leading cause of death in the country.
The Ministry of Health, Welfare and Labor has made the fight against chronic diseases a priority. Plans for 2026 include surveillance of NCDs and mental health and a new national STEPS survey into risk factors such as high blood pressure, diabetes, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and other lifestyle factors.
Acupuncture, herbs and exercise
In Dongzhimen, the tour showed various parts of that approach. The hospital uses acupuncture, traditional herbal preparations, Tuina – a form of Chinese medical massage – and movement therapy. One of those exercise forms is Baduanjin, literally the ‘Eight Golden Exercises’. It involves a series of relatively gentle movements that combine breathing, posture and controlled body movement.
Master Zheng Xiaoyan, who specializes in this form of movement, explained that the exercises are intended to activate the body in a moderate way. According to her, they can contribute to physical fitness and prevention. During the Covid-19 pandemic, such exercises were also used in China to support the recovery of patients.
Technology is now also finding its way into traditional medicine. Chinese healthcare institutions are experimenting with digital and AI-supported systems for traditional tongue and pulse diagnostics. Mobile applications can also be used to guide patients with nutrition, exercise and other lifestyle adjustments.
Support with regular treatment
An important point that Dongzhimen experts emphasized during the visit is that traditional Chinese medicine is not necessarily opposed to modern medicine. Within the hospital, both are combined. This happens, for example, in patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer. “We support patients receiving chemotherapy, radiotherapy or regular medications with Chinese medicine to reduce side effects and increase the effectiveness of the treatment,” said Zhang Yong, vice dean of the hospital.
Traditional treatment methods are also used in addition to regular medical treatment for chronic conditions such as diabetes. Wang Xueqian, director of international cooperation, pointed out that the combination of treatment methods that can be used is determined on a patient-by-patient basis.
This additional approach is especially relevant for Suriname. This does not involve replacing medications, operations or other regular medical treatments with TCM. Elements such as exercise, nutritional guidance and possibly certain complementary therapies could be explored within existing prevention and treatment programs if their safety and efficacy are sufficiently substantiated. This could be important in a country where the healthcare system not only has to deal with many NCD patients, but also with the long-term treatment that chronic diseases require.
An investment analysis by the Pan American Health Organization (Paho) for Suriname published in 2025 underlines the health benefits that a stronger approach to NCDs can bring. According to that analysis, better prevention and control of chronic conditions can ultimately save approximately 3,500 lives and add approximately 41,000 healthy years of life.
Centuries-old medicine in modern care
TCM has a special position in China. The healing method, which has developed over thousands of years, is part of the national health system and is taught at specialized universities. At the same time, China is increasingly trying to connect traditional methods with modern scientific research and contemporary medical technology.
Dongzhimen Hospital is an example of this. The hospital is affiliated with the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and treats almost three million patients annually. It combines clinical care with education and research and also trains foreign doctors and students.
This international dimension is becoming increasingly important. Dongzhimen maintains cooperative relationships with medical and academic institutions in various countries. The TCM Klinik Bad Kötzting was set up in Germany, while the hospital also has international collaboration platforms and contacts in the United States, Australia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Brazil and the United Kingdom, among others.
This may provide a starting point for countries such as Suriname. The large NCD burden primarily requires effective prevention, early detection and good regular medical treatment. The experience that China has built up in combining modern care, lifestyle interventions and parts of traditional medicine can also be examined for its usefulness within the Surinamese situation.
The message that the specialists in Dongzhimen gave during the tour is mainly that of integration: use modern diagnostics and treatment where necessary, but at the same time pay much more attention to prevention, exercise, nutrition and support for patients with long-term conditions. Against the background of the high mortality from NCDs in Suriname, this combination may provide grounds for further medical cooperation and research.
