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The Health Ministry spokesman lambasted a netizens's controversial idea that traditional Chinese medicine should be taken out the country's health care system.

"Traditional Chinese medicine is the essence of China and is an integral part of China's medical and health system," said the ministry spokesman Mao Qun'an on Tuesday at a press conference. Mao called people who support the idea "ignorant of history."

The on-line writer asked other netizens to support his plan that urged the health authority to take the traditional Chinese medicine out of China's national medical system. The writer suggested that Chinese hospitals only prescribe western medicines. Although the writer's original statement has already been deleted it continues to stir hot debate among Chinese netizens in other on-line forums.

Supporters of the proposal say they believe western medicine is more scientific and trustworthy, while opponents condemned the proposal as ridiculous and ignorant.

Spokesman Mao said traditional Chinese medicine has proven merit in history in protecting the health of Chinese people. "In modern times, it is still an important choice for us to cure diseases and ease pain."

Mao said the proposal showed people's "ignorance" of history and the key role that traditional Chinese medicine has played in the lives of Chinese people.

"We firmly object to such suggestions," he said. The ministry wouldn't comment further after Xinhua contacted it for further explanation.

Earlier reports show that traditional Chinese medical departments in China receive nearly 300 million visits a year.

The traditional Chinese medical industry, with a total production value of nearly 81.026 billion yuan (about US$10.125 billion), accounted for a quarter China's overall medical industry in 2005.

Mao said the government has helped develop traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine equally in China.

He said health authorities will increase support to bolster the development of traditional Chinese medicine in the next five years. "There is no doubt that we will further promote traditional Chinese medicine."

Also at the press conference, Mao said the ministry had moved dissuade people from undergoing leg-lengthening surgery following recent reports of patients' legs becoming disfigured after the operation.

The operation, which involves breaking the patients' legs and stretching them on a rack, has become popular among young professionals desperate to climb up the ladder in the country's height-conscious society.

"Leg-lengthening surgery is a clinical orthopedic treatment, not cosmetic surgery," Mao said.

"Leg-lengthening surgery must only be carried out for strict medical reasons and performed in authorized hospitals," Mao added.

The surgical procedure was originally developed in Russia to help patients with legs disfigured by accidents or birth defects such as dwarfism.

According to the Beijing Institute of External Skeletal Fixation Technology, the cost of the surgery is about US$15,000 to US$25,000 and it takes about two years to recover.

Last month, ten people were reported to have been disfigured after they underwent the operation last year. They were all introduced to the Beijing Xiangshan hospital from a Chinese website that advocates "height surgery with no pain."

Hospitals must inform patients of the risks of the surgery and get the patients consent, Mao said.

(Xinhua News Agency October 11, 2006)