Promotion of Traditional Medicine Development
- The province has significantly expanded the integration of traditional medicine into its public healthcare system over the past five years, according too Dr.
- The Provincial Hospital of Traditional Medicine and Rehabilitation has grown from an initial capacity of 170 beds to 270.
- Coverage extends to the community level, with over 89% of communal, neighborhood, and urban health posts offering traditional medicine examinations and treatments.
Province Expands Customary Medicine in Healthcare System
Table of Contents
- Province Expands Customary Medicine in Healthcare System
- Province Expands Customary Medicine in Healthcare System: A Comprehensive Guide
- What is the core initiative being undertaken?
- What specific changes have been implemented in the past five years?
- what types of treatments are integrated?
- How has the utilization of traditional medicine changed?
- What are some specific examples of successful treatments?
- Is the province focused on preserving medicinal resources?
- What are the future goals for traditional medicine in this province?
- What challenges does the province face in expanding traditional medicine?
- What are the recommendations for continued progress?
- How do I find a practitioner of traditional medicine?
- Who is this initiative for?
- Is traditional medicine safe?
The province has significantly expanded the integration of traditional medicine into its public healthcare system over the past five years, according too Dr. Trinh Ngoc Hiep, deputy director of the Department of Health.
Increased Capacity and Coverage
The Provincial Hospital of Traditional Medicine and Rehabilitation has grown from an initial capacity of 170 beds to 270. Traditional medicine departments are now established in all provincial general hospitals and three district general hospitals. The remaining four district-level general hospitals are equipped for traditional medicine practices.
Coverage extends to the community level, with over 89% of communal, neighborhood, and urban health posts offering traditional medicine examinations and treatments. Furthermore,82.5% of these health posts maintain medicinal herbal orchards.
the province also licenses and oversees 178 private traditional medicine clinics,ensuring they meet prescribed operational and certification standards.
Medicinal Resource Conservation
The provincial health sector is actively involved in researching and conserving medicinal resources. four entities within the province cultivate medicinal herbs: Dan Loi Oriental Medicine Company Limited, lien are medicinal Farm Sociedad Anónima, Van Huong company, and THIE NAM COMPANY.
Eastern medicine associations regularly organize activities to share valuable remedies and treatment experiences. To date, over 400 effective remedies have been preserved and promoted.
Future Goals for Traditional Medicine
To guarantee the protection, care and improvement of people’s health, the provincial health sector intends to continue developing traditional medicine. In this sense, by 2030, 95% of general and specialized hospitals will have a traditional medicine department; 100% of communal, neighborhood, municipal and equivalent health positions have implemented consultation activities, health care, medical examination and traditional medicine treatment. At the same time, the rate of exams and medical treatments at the provincial level reached 25%, at the district level 30%and 40%communal level; The payment rate of drugs based on traditional herbs and medicines in the centers of examination and medical treatment from the health insurance fund in the total cost of the medications reaches 30%, of which the cost of using drugs based on herbs locally available in treatment is at least 5%.
Increased Utilization of Traditional Medicine
The use of traditional medicine in medical examinations and treatments is on the rise. The total number of internal medicine patients receiving traditional treatments in provincial centers increased from 133,000 in 2019 to over 202,200 in 2024. District-level treatments rose from 29,110 to 46,760, and communal-level treatments increased from 201,000 to nearly 320,000.
In 2024, outpatient treatments using traditional medicine accounted for 18% of total outpatient treatments at the provincial level and 4.3% of hospital treatments. At the district level, the figures were 23.4% for outpatients and 6.6% for hospitalized patients. Communal-level outpatient treatments represented 24% of the total.
In the first quarter of 2025 alone, nearly 156,000 hospital consultations and treatments involving traditional medicine were conducted across all levels.
Dao Thi Dinh, 58, of Nha Trang, sought treatment at the Provincial General Hospital’s Traditional Medicine Department for hemorrhoids she had suffered from for five years. Diagnosed with internal grade 3 hemorrhoids, she received sclerotherapy injections, a combination of traditional and modern medicine. “After four injections, the hemorrhoids gradually reduced and then disappeared wholly,” Dinh said. “I was very surprised because now traditional medicine has developed and has good and painless treatment methods.”
Challenges Remain
Despite the progress, challenges persist. According to Dr. Ho Ngoc Gia, director of the dien Khanh District Medical Center, the center has established a traditional and rehabilitation medical team. Services include herbal decoctions, traditional medicine prescriptions, electroacupuncture, acupuncture, hydroacupuncture, compression massage, and thread implantation.
Traditional medicine personnel represent 1.58% of the center’s total staff. Traditional medicine, combined with modern medicine, accounts for 33.72% of general medical exams and treatments at the district level, an increase of 10.88% as 2019. At the communal level, the figure is 58.04%, up 16%.
However,the hospital lacks a dedicated traditional medicine department due to staffing shortages. Some health posts lack a doctor or pharmacist, and no commune has met the criteria for advanced status in traditional medicine.
The Dien Khanh District Medical Center is not alone in facing difficulties. Many public medical centers struggle to develop traditional medicine. Traditional medicine departments and groups have been unable to fully develop local remedies. Some provincial medical centers and hospitals lack sufficient traditional medicine personnel. Procurement of traditional medicines and ingredients is difficult due to a lack of participating contractors. While some medical stalls feature medicinal herbs, they serve primarily as educational models rather than sources for treatment.
Recommendations for Future Progress
To achieve the objectives for traditional medicine by 2030, the health sector recommends increased government investment in the development of traditional medicine. Support is also needed for national companies to improve their ability to produce medicinal herbs and traditional medicines that comply with GACP and GMP-OMS standards.
The Ministry of Health should promote training for traditional medicine personnel and improve the quality of traditional medicine tenders. Vietnam Social Security should streamline and expedite payments for medical examinations and treatments.
Province Expands Customary Medicine in Healthcare System: A Comprehensive Guide
The integration of traditional medicine into modern healthcare systems is gaining momentum worldwide, offering patients a broader range of treatment options and a more holistic approach to wellness. This article explores a specific initiative in a province (based on the provided text) to substantially expand the role of customary medicine within its public healthcare system. We’ll examine the progress, the benefits, the challenges, and the future aspirations of this innovative programme, providing insights and actionable facts for readers interested in leveraging traditional medicine.
What is the core initiative being undertaken?
The province is significantly expanding the integration of traditional medicine into its public healthcare system, as reported by Dr. Trinh Ngoc Hiep, deputy director of the Department of Health. This involves increasing capacity, coverage, and resources allocated to traditional medicine practices within the existing healthcare infrastructure.
What specific changes have been implemented in the past five years?
Over the past five years,the province has seen several key developments:
- Increased Capacity: The Provincial Hospital of Traditional Medicine and Rehabilitation has grown its capacity from 170 to 270 beds.
- Expanded Coverage: Traditional medicine departments have been established in all provincial general hospitals and three district general hospitals, with the remaining four district-level general hospitals equipped for traditional medicine practices.
- Community Outreach: Over 89% of communal, neighborhood, and urban health posts now offer traditional medicine examinations and treatments. Additionally, 82.5% of these health posts maintain medicinal herbal orchards.
- Private Clinic Oversight: The province licenses and oversees 178 private traditional medicine clinics.
what types of treatments are integrated?
The article lists several types of treatments:
- Herbal decoctions
- Traditional medicine prescriptions
- electroacupuncture
- Acupuncture
- Hydroacupuncture
- Compression massage
- Thread implantation
- Sclerotherapy injections
How has the utilization of traditional medicine changed?
Traditional medicine is increasingly in demand. The number of internal medicine patients receiving traditional treatments has surged across all levels of care:
- Provincial Centers: increased from 133,000 in 2019 to over 202,200 in 2024.
- District Level: Rise from 29,110 to 46,760.
- Communal Level: Jump from 201,000 to nearly 320,000.
Outpatient treatments using traditional medicine accounted for 18% of overall outpatient treatments at the provincial level in 2024.
What are some specific examples of successful treatments?
Dao Thi Dinh, 58, of Nha Trang, sought treatment at the Provincial General Hospital’s Traditional Medicine Department for hemorrhoids she had suffered from for five years. She said,”After four injections,the hemorrhoids gradually reduced and then disappeared wholly,” Dinh said. “I was very surprised as now traditional medicine has developed and has good and painless treatment methods.”
Is the province focused on preserving medicinal resources?
Yes, the provincial health sector actively researches and conserves medicinal resources. Four local entities are involved in cultivating medicinal herbs: Dan Loi Oriental Medicine Company Limited, Lien are medicinal Farm Sociedad Anónima, Van Huong company, and THIE NAM COMPANY. eastern medicine associations are actively preserving and promoting valuable remedies; to date, over 400 effective remedies have been preserved and promoted.
What are the future goals for traditional medicine in this province?
The provincial health sector aims for significant expansion by 2030:
To guarantee the protection, care, and improvement of people’s health, the provincial health sector intends to continue developing traditional medicine. By 2030, 95% of general and specialized hospitals will have a traditional medicine department; 100% of communal, neighborhood, municipal and equivalent health positions will have implemented consultation activities, health care, medical examination and traditional medicine treatment. At the same time, the rate of exams and medical treatments at the provincial level reached will reach 25%, at the district level 30%, and communal level 40%; the payment rate of drugs based on traditional herbs and medicines in the centers of examination and medical treatment from the health insurance fund in the total cost of the medications reaches 30%, of which the cost of using drugs based on herbs locally available in treatment is at least 5%.
What challenges does the province face in expanding traditional medicine?
While progress is evident, challenges persist:
- Staffing Shortages: Many medical centers lack sufficient traditional medicine personnel.
- Limited Departmental Development: Some facilities lack dedicated traditional medicine departments.
- Resource issues: Many centers struggle to develop local remedies. Procurement of traditional medicines and ingredients is also difficult.
- Lack of advanced infrastructure: No commune has met the criteria for advanced status in traditional medicine.
What are the recommendations for continued progress?
To meet its 2030 goals, the province’s health sector recommends:
- Increased government investment in traditional medicine development.
- support for national companies to produce medicinal herbs and medicines that comply with GACP and GMP-OMS standards.
- Promotion of training for traditional medicine personnel.
- Improved quality of traditional medicine tenders.
- Streamlined and expedited payments from Vietnam Social Security for examinations and treatments.
How do I find a practitioner of traditional medicine?
Finding a practitioner of traditional medicine can be done by:
- Asking your doctor
- Asking your local hospitals
- Using online search engines
Who is this initiative for?
This initiative is for everyone, integrating traditional medicines and modern medicines into the healthcare system.
Is traditional medicine safe?
Like any medical treatment, it is essential to consider the safety regarding traditional medicine.It would be best to seek out a practitioner and discuss with your doctor to determine if they are a good fit for traditional medicine.
Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional for any health concerns.