Dr. Ovono Nkomo uses acupuncture to treat a patient (COURTESY PHOTO)

In addition, in Western medicine, one needs electricity and a lot of expensive equipment to run operations, while in TCM only doctors and simple instruments are needed, according to Nkomo. "For example, when doing massage, I just need a pair of hands and the knowledge; when doing cupping, I just need a cup to treat patients. So I can go to villages where there might be a lack of electricity, to help people," he explained.

According to him, TCM is well received in Gabon, and it is effective for African patients. "Because African patients are sensitive [to TCM], a small dose of medicine works effectively in treatment. Gabonese patients feel that Chinese medicine is easier to use and the price is also reasonable," he said.

"With HIV/AIDS, TCM is mainly targeted at protecting patients' immune systems, and it relieves symptoms such as anemia and diarrhea," he said, "For example, after using Aifukang capsule, a TCM product which targets at treating HIV/AIDS patients, most Gabonese patients have seen their health and quality of life improve."

Big dreams 

Nkomo is also multilingual and speaks eight languages including Gabonese, French and Chinese. When talking about his future plans, he said his big dream is to promote TCM worldwide with his language skills and more importantly, to develop and revive traditional medicine in Africa.

"Chinese medicine is natural and with no chemicals. Unlike Western medicine, it has fewer side effects. Besides, one can spend very little money to cure the disease," he explained, "so I think it's suitable for promotion worldwide, especially in African countries."

Currently, he works as a clinic tutor for international students in Chinese Medicine at NJUCM. He also frequently travels back to Africa and gives volunteer medical consultations at the Sino-Gabonese Friendship Hospital, and the local hospitals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea.

Dr. Ovono Nkomo examines a patient (COURTESY PHOTO)

In addition, as the vice president of the branch of Pediatrics Speciality Committee of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine Society, Nkomo is active in promoting TCM through all kinds of activities and international conferences. 

As the first Gabonese who came to China to study TCM, he is proud of introducing Chinese medicine to Gabon. He said he plans to open a TCM clinic after going back home, allowing Chinese medicine to benefit more Gabonese people.

Apart from promoting TCM, Nkomo said he'd like to work as a bridge between TCM and traditional Gabonese medicine. He believes TCM will help revive traditional Gabonese medicine.

"We have so many trees and herbs in Africa, but we don't know how to make use of them in the clinical approach," he said.

In his view, Chinese medicine today is very developed. If more Gabonese people can come to China to learn TCM, and later when they go back to Gabon, they will think about making use of the local herbs and use them as medicine.

"In this way, Gabonese or African traditional medicine can be revived," he said. He also hopes that some Chinese TCM companies can be one day localized in Gabon. CA