Vietnam has 66 traditional medicine hospitals

Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam had 66 traditional medicine hospitals as of the end of 2019, an increase of two compared to the number in 2018, it was reported at a conference on January 7 of the Agency of Traditional Medicine Administration under the Health Ministry.  

The hospitals are located in 57 provinces and centrally-run cities, leaving six localities without any hospitals of this kind, which are Bac Kan in the north, Dak Nong in the Central Highlands, and An Giang, Bac Lieu, Soc Trang and Hau Giang in the south.

The Health Ministry said traditional medicine hospitals have helped the health sector meet the diverse need for health care in the country. However, their share in the nation’s total hospital beds is modest at just over 12 percent.

In addition, around 88 percent of other hospitals have also set up traditional medicine faculties or sections. As of December 28, 2019, 83.2 percent of communal medical stations also offered traditional medical services.

In 2019, the Prime Minister also issued Decision 1893/QD-TTg promulgating a programme on developing traditional medicine in combination with modern medicine to 2030.

The health sector plans to create a clear breakthrough in traditional medicine in 2020, aiming to raise the percentage of patients receiving treatment by traditional medicine or by modern medicine in combination with traditional methods to 10 percent at central level hospitals, 20 percent at provincial level hospitals, 25 percent at district level and 40 percent at communal level.

The programme on developing traditional medicine in combination with modern medicine to 2030 has set the target that all provinces and centrally-run cities will have at least one traditional medicine hospital, and 95 percent of all hospitals have a traditional medicine faculty./.