Directive No. 05/2007/CT-BYT on Strengthening Traditional Medicine Work

DIRECTIVE

On Strengthening Traditional Medicine Work

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In recent times, traditional medicine work (TMW) has achieved some good results: The network of traditional medicine (TM) diagnosis and treatment facilities has been expanded: 51 out of 64 centrally governed provinces and cities have TM hospitals; approximately 93% of general hospitals have departments or units specializing in TM; 58.8% of commune health stations have activities for TM diagnosis and treatment; enrollment targets for secondary, college, university, and postgraduate education in TM have been strengthened; TM diagnosis and treatment facilities have been invested in to upgrade their infrastructure, equipment, and professional expertise; the number of patients seeking TM diagnosis and treatment is increasing; the circulation of TM drugs on the market is growing, with better quality, gradually meeting the needs for disease prevention and treatment through TM of the people; research and application of TMW and combined research with modern medicine (MM) have received attention, many research topics have been widely applied; international cooperation in the field of TMW has been expanded.

However, the implementation of TMW activities still faces some issues: The organization of TM diagnosis and treatment facilities is not yet synchronized, 13 provinces do not have TM hospitals; 41.2% of commune health stations do not have activities for TM diagnosis and treatment; the quality of diagnosis and treatment and the quality of medicinal materials are not truly satisfactory; there is a shortage of specialized TM staff and TM staff for community service; the combination of TM with MM has not been truly effective, thus failing to fully utilize the potential of TM to serve the cause of caring for and protecting public health.

To effectively implement Decision No. 222/2003/QĐ-TTg dated November 3, 2003 of the Prime Minister approving the "National Policy on Traditional Medicine until 2010" and address the above issues, the Minister of Health requests the leaders of relevant departments and bureaus; heads of subordinate units of the Ministry; Directors of Health Departments of centrally governed provinces and cities (hereinafter referred to collectively as provincial health departments) to promptly carry out the following key tasks:

1. Regarding Network Construction

a. Provincial health departments should allocate personnel with a bachelor's degree in TM to be responsible for overseeing TMW, advising the provincial People's Committee towards establishing a TM Management Department; District Health Departments (hereinafter referred to collectively as district health departments) should have personnel overseeing TMW.

b. Provinces without TM hospitals, provincial health departments should urgently develop plans to establish TM hospitals to submit for approval by the provincial People's Committee.

c. Modern medical hospitals from central to local levels must consolidate and establish TM departments according to Circular No. 02/1997/TT-BYT dated February 28, 1997 of the Minister of Health guiding the functions, responsibilities, and organizational structure of TM departments in modern medical hospitals.

d. Commune health stations should have a unit for TM diagnosis and treatment under the responsibility of a physician with a diploma in TM or a licensed practitioner of the station.

2. Regarding Human Resource Development in Traditional Medicine

a. The Science and Training Department shall take the lead, coordinating with the Organization and Cadre Department and the Traditional Medicine Department to compile the demand for TM personnel to develop a plan for training TM human resources.

b. Universities, colleges, and secondary schools of Medicine and Pharmacy shall closely cooperate with TM hospitals to strengthen TM departments to enhance the capacity for training TM personnel.

c. Provincial health departments shall develop plans and direct the organization to implement training and professional development programs for local healthcare personnel, improving the level of TM for healthcare personnel and the level of modern medicine for TM personnel to effectively apply TM and combine TM with modern medicine in caring for and protecting public health.

d. The Science and Training Department shall act as the focal point to propose to the Ministry of Education and Training to open new educational programs for various levels and fields within TM according to the Law on Education. Directing educational institutions to complete textbooks and curricula for various levels and fields within the traditional medicine sector and continuous training for healthcare personnel, including licensed practitioners.

3. Regarding Improving Treatment Quality

a. The Traditional Medicine Department shall act as the focal point, coordinating with related units to develop and submit to the Ministry leadership for promulgation technical procedures for TMW, combining TM with modern medicine; a list of main TM drugs; a list of specialized equipment for TM hospitals, TM departments in modern medical hospitals, and TM units in commune health stations.

b. Provincial health departments shall take the lead, coordinating with local authorities to report to the People's Council and the provincial People's Committee to increase investment in infrastructure, equipment, and personnel, striving to achieve the status of a second-class general hospital specializing in TM by 2010.

4. Regarding Developing Medicinal Materials and Producing Traditional Drugs

a. The Traditional Medicine Department shall act as the focal point, coordinating with the Vietnam National Pharmaceutical Administration to organize research on revising and supplementing regulations on managing traditional drugs; standard compounding processes for various types of medicinal materials and production processes for commonly used traditional drugs, to be submitted for approval by the Ministry leadership.

b. The Institute of Herbal Medicine shall conduct research and propose to the Ministry of Health a plan for developing the pharmaceutical industry and producing drugs derived from medicinal materials according to the provisions of Decision No. 43/2007/QĐ-TTg dated March 29, 2007 of the Prime Minister approving the project "Developing the Pharmaceutical Industry and Building a Model System for Drug Supply in Vietnam for the Period 2007-2015 and Vision to 2020".

c. Provincial health departments shall inspect and guide drug production and trading establishments to only produce and trade traditional drugs that have been approved for circulation by the Ministry of Health; organizing the sustainable development of medicinal materials, focusing on planting medicinal materials that are strengths of the locality, meeting domestic usage needs and export requirements.

d. Production and trading establishments of medicinal materials and traditional drugs need to continue to improve their infrastructure, focusing on modernizing equipment, innovating technology to gradually implement the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) process for traditional drugs derived from medicinal materials.

5. Regarding Management of Traditional Medicine Practice

a. Provincial health departments shall provide guidance and create favorable conditions for qualified and eligible traditional medicine practitioners to participate in traditional medicine practice according to current regulations.

b. The Department of Health of the province shall strengthen management of private traditional medicine practice establishments in accordance with current regulations.

6. On scientific research work

Units need to enhance research on inheritance, application, and integration of traditional medicine with modern medicine to find effective remedies and treatment methods for widespread application at relevant facilities.

The Department of Health of the province shall take the lead and coordinate with the Department of Science and Technology to study and report to the competent authority to increase budget investment for scientific research projects in the field of traditional medicine locally.

7. On inspection and supervision work

The Inspectorate of the Ministry of Health shall cooperate with relevant Departments and Bureaus and the Departments of Health of the provinces to strengthen inspection and supervision of the implementation of Party and State policies and professional regulations in the field of traditional medicine, and handle violations strictly in accordance with current regulations.

8. On investment

a. Each year, related units shall develop a budget plan for the field of traditional medicine to be submitted to the competent authority for approval, ensuring the needs of traditional medicine activities;

b. Mobilize and effectively utilize state budget funds, bilateral and multilateral cooperation funds, aid sources, and other funding for traditional medicine activities.

9. On international cooperation: Strengthen cooperation with countries worldwide, particularly those in the region with developed traditional medicine systems in areas such as medical examination and treatment, training of personnel, scientific research, and herbal cultivation.

This Directive shall take effect fifteen days from the date of publication in the Official Gazette.

Heads of Departments, Bureau Chiefs, Director of the Office, Chief Inspector of the Ministry of Health, Directors of Provincial Health Departments, health sectors, and related units shall be responsible for implementing this Directive and reporting the results to the Ministry of Health (Department of Traditional Medicine). /