Bringing Uygur ethnic medicine into China's National Health Insurance!

BEIJING, March 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- An interview with Sunjing, a reporter for China.org.cn on China's Two Sessions 2026:

This is my first time covering China's annual "two sessions" on scene. To be honest, as I stepped into the Great Hall of the People, I was so nervous that my hands were sweating. It's beyond my wildest imagination that in my very first year of reporting the event, I had the chance to interview Haji Akber Aisa, the first academician specializing in Xinjiang's medical and health sector.

The first question I asked him was about his life-changing career choice.

In 1999, after earning his doctorate from the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, he held what many would consider the key to a promising career in a global metropolis, with abundant research resources and opportunities. Yet Haji chose to return to Xinjiang.

Back then, research on ethnic medicine in Xinjiang was largely uncharted territory. Numerous valuable empirical formulas and medicinal materials existed, but their ingredients and functions remained vague. Haji said, "I'm determined to use my knowledge to decode the scientific foundations of ethnic medicines and ensure Xinjiang's medical resources can truly benefit people of all ethnic groups. My choice has never wavered."

Guided by that original aspiration, he devoted decades to the cause, leaving his footprints all over the Tianshan Mountains. What touches me the most is the story behind the development of the Compound Binafuxi Granules — a Uygur medicine used for treating febrile colds. Haji said the biggest challenge in the process was to translate the traditional formula rooted in clinical experience into a modern pharmaceutical product with clearly identified ingredients and scientifically validated efficacy. Haji and his team experienced years of trial and error. In particular, while formulating the national standard sample for rupestonic acid, Haji and his team practically lived in the laboratory, conducting hundreds of experiments. When they finally succeeded in isolating a high-purity bioactive compound, the lab fell into a stunned silence of elation.

The long and painstaking journey lasted for 15 whole years. Their hard work ultimately paid off: the Compound Binafuxi Granules was approved for market release. Not long ago, the medicine was included in China's national medical insurance drug list, benefiting more patients nationwide.

The academician told me, "We've written our papers across the vast landscapes of Xinjiang, bringing our scientific achievements to the public. That, is the noblest value of scientific research."

At that moment, I found myself thinking of the snow lotus that blooms high in the Tianshan range — a resilient flower that takes root in harsh terrain, and blossoms with healing power. Between the plant and the academician, one can see strong resemblance.

As a deputy to the National People's Congress from Xinjiang, Haji also founded standardized cultivation bases for medicinal herbs across rural areas, enabling local farmers to increase their income right at their doorsteps. Every year, he devotes a substantial amount of time to field research, visiting manufacturing facilities, research institutions, hospitals and clinics, to solicit opinions from the public. Through the suggestions he submitted, "cultivating leading TCM enterprises" was written into the development plan of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region; it is also at his suggestion that the China-Uzbekistan Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on New Drug has received strong support at the national level.

In Haji's view, the ethnic medicine industry is a bond that links the emotions and cultures of various ethnic groups, while representing a pathway that safeguards the health of people of all ethnic groups and contributes to shared development and prosperity.

To be frank, as a young reporter, I was not that familiar with ethnic topics. But here at the "two sessions," I got to meet many deputies to the National People's Congress from ethnic regions. Through their stories of dedication and helping people of all ethnic groups to pursue a better life, I see countless concrete efforts and deeply personal aspirations.

China Mosaic
http://chinamosaic.china.com.cn/

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SOURCE China.org.cn