BEIJING, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Chinese health authorities Wednesday called for establishing and improving coordination mechanisms between traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine in the prevention and treatment of infectious diseases including the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pneumonia.

The National Health Commission and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine jointly issued a circular, calling for efforts to strengthen the system for joint consultations of TCM and Western medicine doctors.

Health authorities and TCM administrative organs at all levels should establish coordination mechanisms between TCM and Western medicine to treat COVID-19 patients, as well as those with other infectious diseases, the circular said.

A certain number of TCM experts should be included in provincial level expert groups, it added, noting that medical institutions for infectious diseases should make institutional arrangements to include TCM into their treatment plans.

Local authorities should establish and improve joint consultation systems for TCM and Western medicine doctors, the circular noted, calling for efforts to ensure the deep involvement of TCM in preventing, controlling and treating infectious diseases.

The circular also called for more detailed methods to introduce TCM into treatment, stressing effective ways to integrate TCM and Western medicine in the clinical treatment of patients with COVID-19.  ■