National Online Conference on traditional medicine development

On May 20, Ministry of Health held a National Online Conference to preliminarily sum up 5 implementation years of Decision No. 2166 / QD-TTg of the Prime Minister on Action Plan to develop traditional medicine of Vietnam until 2020. Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien chaired the meeting. Attending the meeting at Binh Duong province bridge were Mr. Dang Minh Hung, Deputy Chairman of PPC; and representatives of medical departments, units in the province.

After 5 implementation years of Decision No. 2166/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister, the development of traditional medicine across the nation achieved some remarkable results, and contributed to the overall achievement of the health sector, confirmed the position of traditional medicine in Vietnam. Basic criteria increased significantly in 2015. Namely, province-level health care network of traditional medicine increased from 53 to 58 hospitals; 92.7% polyclinics have traditional medicine ward or group; health care network of traditional medicine at communal health centers has been growing, up 4.9% compared to 2010; health examination rate by combining traditional medicine with modern medicine at district level and health centers rose 6.2%...

At the conference, representatives of Binh Duong Department of Health also reported on medicine bid, traditional medicine in public health care facilities. Department of Health proposed that Ministry of Health soon enact a circular guiding through medicine bid; establish bidding documents and stipulate Circular guiding medical facilities through medicine procurement.

Concluding the conference, Minister of Health Nguyen Thi Kim Tien asked localities to continue strengthening and improving the state management system on traditional medicine at central level, and forming state management bodies of traditional medicine at provincial level; cultivate a human resource for traditional medicine; research and submit preferential policies on pharmaceutical cultivation and business to the Cabinet; especially, enhance research and application of medicine to commercialize herbal medicinal products.

Reported by Hong Thuan – Translated by Ngoc Huynh