Traditional chinese medicine in Malaysia: A brief historical overview of the institutions

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in British Malaya developed concurrently with the influx of Chinese immigrants. To cater for this growing community, Chinese medical halls which sell Chinese herbs were established in major townships. Consultation and various TCM treatments were also offered by contract TCM practitioners in some of these medical halls. As the needs for TCM services continued to grow, dedicated TCM institutions were set up subsequently. The establishment of these institutions marked the beginning of professional TCM services in the history of Malaysia