Decision No. 765/2005/QD-BYT approves the implementation plan for the national policy on traditional medicine until 2010 issued by the Minister of Health

Pursuant to …;

DECISION NUMBER 765/2005/QĐ-BYT OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH ON MARCH 22, 2005 REGARDING THE APPROVAL OF THE PLAN TO IMPLEMENT THE NATIONAL POLICY ON TRADITIONAL MEDICINE UNTIL 2010

THE MINISTER OF HEALTH

Pursuant to Decree No. 49/2003/NĐ-CP dated May 15, 2003 of the Government on the functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of the Ministry of Health;
Pursuant to Decision No. 222/2003/QĐ-TTg dated November 3, 2003 of the Prime Minister approving the National Policy on Traditional Medicine until 2010;
At the proposal of the Director of the Department of Traditional Medicine - Ministry of Health,

DECISION:

Article 1The Minister of Health hereby promulgates the attached Decision "Plan to Implement the National Policy on Traditional Medicine until 2010".

Article 2. "Plan to Implement the National Policy on Traditional Medicine until 2010" is a guiding document for provincial health departments under central cities and provinces, and units directly under the Ministry of Health to organize and implement key tasks related to traditional medicine work each year from 2005 to 2010.

Article 3THIS DECISION SHALL TAKE EFFECT 15 DAYS AFTER ITS PUBLICATION IN THE OFFICIAL GAZETTE.

Article 4All officials: Heads of the Office, Directors of Departments under the Ministry of Health, Provincial Health Directors under central cities and provinces, Heads of units directly under the Ministry of Health are responsible for implementing this Decision.

PLAN TO IMPLEMENT THE NATIONAL POLICY ON TRADITIONAL MEDICINE UNTIL 2010
(Attached to Decision No. 765/2005/QĐ-BYT dated March 22, 2005 of the Minister of Health)

To implement Decision No. 222/2003/QĐ-TTg dated November 3, 2003 of the Prime Minister approving the National Policy on Traditional Medicine until 2010, the Ministry of Health promulgates the "Plan to Implement the National Policy on Traditional Medicine until 2010" with the following main contents:

I. GENERAL OBJECTIVES

1. General Objective:

To successfully implement Decision No. 222/2003/QĐ-TTg dated November 3, 2003 of the Prime Minister approving the National Policy on Traditional Medicine until 2010, aiming to inherit, preserve, and develop traditional medicine (TM) and integrate it with modern medicine (MM) in the cause of caring for, protecting, and improving people's health; building a modern, scientific, national, and public health system.

2. Specific Objectives:

a) Improve the management organization system of TM: Provincial health departments under central cities and provinces (hereinafter referred to as provinces) have a department managing TM; District health centers, county health centers, town health centers, and health centers under provinces (hereinafter referred to as counties) have dedicated staff overseeing TM work to ensure good research, training, medical examination and treatment, cultivation of medicinal plants and animals, preparation, and production of medicines.

b) Regarding medical examination and treatment facilities: Provinces have traditional medicine hospitals (TMH); modern medicine hospitals (MMH) have TM departments; Commune health stations, urban district health stations, and town health stations (hereinafter collectively referred to as communes) have sections for medical examination and treatment using TM, managed by a TM doctor (or MM doctor or higher) within the health station's staff.

Encourage domestic and foreign organizations and individuals to invest in establishing various forms of medical examination and treatment facilities using TM according to the law.

TM hospitals, university of medicine and pharmacy, secondary schools of medicine and pharmacy, and commune health stations have medicinal plant gardens.

c) Annual targets for medical examination and treatment using TM: Central level at 10%, provincial level at 20%, county level at 25%, and commune level at 40% of the number of people examined and treated.

d) Targets for the use of TM drugs at all levels: 30% of domestically produced and circulated drugs are TM drugs; targets for the use of TM drugs at the central level are 10%, provincial level 20%, county level 25%, and commune level 40%.

II. MAJOR SOLUTIONS

1. Solutions regarding mechanisms and policies:

1.1. Improve the legal framework, creating a favorable legal environment for various forms of TM practice to develop.

1.2. The State protects the rights of authors, ownership, and encourages doctors to contribute, promote effective prescriptions, valuable medicinal plants, and effective disease prevention and treatment experiences; has preferential policies to encourage research, inheritance, application, and integration of TM with MM.

1.3. Enact preferential policies to support the cultivation of medicinal materials, production of TM drugs, and reasonable exploitation of natural medicinal resources, ensuring conservation, regeneration, and development of medicinal plant genetic resources; establish the Hai Thượng Lan Ông Award to encourage organizations and individuals who make significant contributions in the field of TM.

1.4. Encourage the organization of medical examination and treatment, production, use, and export of TM drugs; import medicinal plant seeds to create medicinal material sources; modernize TM research; integrate TM with MM.

2. Organizational solutions:

2.1. Improve the management, medical examination and treatment, training, research, and drug production systems for TM.

2.2. Encourage the development of various forms of TM practice under all economic sectors.

3. Solutions for human resource development:

3.1. Develop a network for training human resources in TM, establish a Traditional Medicine Academy, consolidate and develop TM departments in universities, colleges, and secondary health schools. Encourage the development of private traditional medicine schools.

3.2. Organize continuous training to update knowledge and improve the qualifications of the TM workforce.

3.3. Reform training programs towards modernizing TM.

3.4. Reform teaching methods to enhance training quality.

4. Solutions for ensuring and improving the quality of medical examination and treatment, TM drugs:

4.1. Increase investment to upgrade TM facilities, standardize technical equipment for TM medical examination and treatment facilities.

4.2. Strengthen the training and improvement of professional skills for TM personnel.

4.3. Gradually modernize TM, integrating TM with MM.

4.4. Establish standards and manage the quality of medicinal materials.

4.5. Determine the demand for medicinal materials and TM drugs for domestic use and export.

4.6. Encourage TM facilities and the public to cultivate medicinal materials; plan concentrated medicinal material cultivation areas.

4.7. Consolidate and modernize the system for preparing, producing, trading, and distributing TM drugs.

4.8. Create effective links between medicinal material growers, scientists, and TM drug manufacturers.

4.9. Enhance international cooperation in the field of TM.

5. Ensuring financial support for TM activities

Mobilize and effectively utilize investment capital for the TM sector:

- State budget capital.

- Foreign investment capital (aid capital, loan capital, capital from joint ventures and joint operations).

- Capital mobilized from other economic sectors.

6. Strengthen inspection workto monitor the implementation of the Party and State's policies on traditional medicine work.

III. IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

1. Regarding the establishment of the network for traditional medicine

1.1. Target by 2010:

In terms of management: The Ministry of Health has a Department of Traditional Medicine; the Provincial Health Departments have a section for Traditional Medicine Management; the District Health Departments have dedicated staff responsible for traditional medicine work.

For the healthcare network: each province must have at least one traditional medicine hospital; every modern medical hospital must have a traditional medicine department; health stations at the commune level must have a unit for traditional medicine diagnosis and treatment, managed by a traditional medicine doctor (traditional medicine physician or higher) within the station's staffing plan.

1.2. Plan:

a) Improving the organizational management system:

+ In 2005: Enhance guidance efforts, striving for 100% of Provincial Health Departments to have dedicated staff for traditional medicine work under the Medical Affairs Section; 30% of District Health Departments will have dedicated staff, while the remaining 70% will have part-time staff for traditional medicine work.

+ In 2006-2007: The Health Departments of Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hai Phong will establish Medical Affairs Sections for Traditional Medicine; 50% of District Health Departments will have dedicated staff, while the remaining 50% will have part-time staff for traditional medicine work.

+ In 2008-2010: All Provincial Health Departments will establish Medical Affairs Sections for Traditional Medicine; all District Health Departments will have dedicated staff for traditional medicine work.

b) Building, reinforcing, and perfecting the network for traditional medicine diagnosis and treatment:

- Traditional Medicine Hospitals: Currently, there are still 15 provinces without traditional medicine hospitals, namely Bac Can, Lai Chau, Quang Tri, Quang Ngai, Khanh Hoa, Dak Nong, Kon Tum, An Giang, Soc Trang, Bac Lieu, Hau Giang, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, Ninh Thuan, and Ca Mau.

- From 2005 to 2007, these provinces without traditional medicine hospitals will develop proposals to establish traditional medicine hospitals, which will be submitted to the People's Committee of the province for approval. The minimum size of the hospital should be 50 inpatient beds, depending on the population of the province.

- In 2008-2010:

+ Construction and operation of the hospitals. Provinces that already have traditional medicine hospitals will continue to reinforce and perfect them according to Decision No. 1529/QD-BYT dated May 25, 1999 of the Ministry of Health regarding the functions, tasks, and organizational structure of traditional medicine hospitals under Provincial Health Departments.

+ Construction of central traditional medicine hospitals based on provincial traditional medicine hospitals for each economic region.

- Traditional Medicine Departments in modern medical hospitals:

According to reports from 42 Provincial Health Departments, 95% of provincial general hospitals have traditional medicine departments, and 72% of district hospitals have traditional medicine departments.

In 2005, modern medical hospitals without traditional medicine departments will develop proposals to establish traditional medicine departments (for hospitals with 150 inpatient beds or more) or traditional medicine units within the Internal Medicine Department (for hospitals with fewer than 150 inpatient beds), to be reported to the Provincial Health Department Director for consideration and approval. Hospitals that already have traditional medicine departments or units will continue to invest in reinforcing and perfecting their traditional medicine departments according to guidelines from the Ministry of Health, improving the quality of traditional medicine diagnosis and treatment and combining traditional medicine with modern medicine.

By 2006 to 2010, all modern medical hospitals with 150 inpatient beds or more will have traditional medicine departments, and those with fewer than 150 inpatient beds will have traditional medicine units integrated into the Internal Medicine Department.

- Traditional Medicine Units in Commune Health Stations:

Currently, about 30% of commune health stations have activities for traditional medicine diagnosis and treatment.

Objective by 2010: 100% commune health stations have a department for diagnosis and treatment using Traditional Medicine (TM) managed by TM doctors within the station's staffing plan.

In 2005, the Head of Commune Health Station (in communes without a TM diagnosis and treatment department) shall complete a project to organize a TM diagnosis and treatment department to be submitted to the Commune People's Committee and reported to the District Health Department. Commune health stations that already have a TM diagnosis and treatment department shall continue to strengthen their infrastructure, develop staff training plans, and improve the quality of TM diagnosis and treatment services for the people.

From 2006 to 2010: 100% of commune health stations shall have a TM diagnosis and treatment department managed by TM staff within the station's staffing plan.

2. Regarding human resource training:

2.1. Objectives: By 2010, meet the demand for specialized TM personnel at all levels. Specifically:

- The Director of Central TM Hospital and the Director of Class 1 TM Hospitals must have a Master’s or Doctorate degree in TM or equivalent.

- The Director of Class 2 TM Hospitals must have a Bachelor’s degree in TM or higher.

- The Director of remaining TM Hospitals must be a TM specialist.

- The Head of clinical departments in TM Hospitals and the TM Department in Western Medicine Hospitals must have a Bachelor’s degree in TM or higher.

- TM staff in commune health stations must be licensed TM practitioners or TM assistants or higher.

2.2. Implementation Plan:

2.2.1. 2005-2006:

- To meet the demand for TM doctors in provinces, the Ministry of Health will annually study and formulate plans for allocating enrollment quotas for regular training of TM personnel.

- Urgently implement Decision No. 30/2005/QĐ-TTg dated February 2, 2005, of the Prime Minister on the establishment of the Vietnam University of Oriental Medicine; consolidate organizational structure, build physical facilities, and enhance the qualifications of faculty members...

- Establish a TM Department in universities of medicine and pharmacy that do not yet have such a department, and reinforce the TM Department in those that already have it, serving as the basis for training TM doctors.

- Establish a TM Department in secondary medical schools that do not yet have one, and reinforce the TM Department in those that already have it. This serves as the basis for training TM assistants and training unlicensed practitioners to become TM assistants for commune health stations.

- Strengthen and enhance the qualifications of faculty members, physical facilities of the Vietnam University of Oriental Medicine; TM Departments and TM Departments in central and local universities of medicine and pharmacy; TM hospitals and TM Departments where students intern.

- Complete teaching materials, content, and training programs for various types of TM personnel.

- Establish a Council to review TM textbooks, content, and training programs for each type of TM personnel. Unify basic textbooks on TM for general doctors.

2.2.2. From 2006 to 2010:

- To meet the demand for TM personnel at district level, intensify training of TM assistants currently working in local areas to become TM doctors. After graduation, they will work at the district level and commune health stations, while also focusing on training TM specialties for general doctors.

- To meet the demand for TM personnel at commune health stations, the Ministry of Health will coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training, and the Ministry of Planning and Investment to allocate enrollment quotas for TM assistant training at secondary medical schools; simultaneously consider recruiting unlicensed practitioners with 10th or 12th grade education to train them as TM assistants for commune health stations that lack TM personnel.

- From 2006 to 2010, cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Training to encourage the establishment of three private universities of TM in the North, Central, and South regions.

3. Regarding scientific research (NCKH):

3.1. In 2005: The Ministry of Health will organize conferences and seminars on the following topics:

- International experience and models of combining TM with Western Medicine in Vietnam.

- International experience and models of modernizing TM in Vietnam.

- Guidelines for inheritance work, content, and methods of inheriting TM.

3.2. From 2005 to 2010:

- Apply modern scientific achievements to prove the value and effectiveness of TM, including both theoretical and practical clinical aspects.

- Apply regulations for researching, evaluating safety and efficacy of TM drugs, promote applied research, and annually conduct summaries, evaluations, and acceptance to determine certain diseases and stages thereof prioritized for treatment with TM; certain diseases and stages thereof requiring combined treatment with TM and Western Medicine; develop guidelines for treatment facilities to apply.

- Focus on applying TM prescriptions and non-drug methods (acupuncture, moxibustion, massage, etc.) effectively for common illnesses such as colds, boils, coughs, diarrhea, digestive disorders, nervous exhaustion, chronic bronchitis, fatty kidney disease, peptic ulcers, drug addiction, hypertension, etc., and popularize these methods among application facilities.

- Develop and protect rare medicinal plant gene funds.

- Research and apply biotechnology to protect rare medicinal plant gene funds, create high-yield and high-quality medicinal plant seed sources, and serve the production of medicines.

- Promote research and development of pharmaceutical technology and production from medicinal plants, gradually modernize TM drugs, and discover new drugs from TM.

- Enhance information exchange on scientific research domestically and internationally.

4. Regarding inheritance work:

4.1. In 2005:

- Study, amend, and supplement policies and regulations on inheritance work.

- Study and promulgate regulations on recognizing individuals with family-prescribed remedies to ensure localities can implement them to preserve valuable TM assets from being lost.

4.2. From 2005 to 2010:

- Prioritize children of licensed TM practitioners who meet the criteria and conditions for admission to study TM specialties to enable them to carry forward the TM traditions of their families.

- Concentrate on collecting and inheriting TM prescriptions and methods capable of treating or supporting treatment of difficult diseases such as chronic bronchitis, fatty kidney disease, peptic ulcers, drug addiction, hypertension, etc., and popularize these methods among application facilities.

- Coordinate with the Ministry of Education and Training to select and train traditional medicine practitioners from qualified traditional doctors with a literacy level of 10/10 or 12/12 for health stations in communes that lack traditional medicine staff.

5. Plan for the development of traditional medicine drugs:

5.1. In 2005: Study, survey, compile, analyze, and determine the demand for medicinal materials to serve medical examination, treatment, and export activities.

5.2. From 2005 to 2006:

- The Institute of Medicinal Materials will cooperate with provincial Health Departments to organize research, surveys, investigations, and statistics on various types of plants and animals used as medicines; their distribution, ecosystems, and current reserves in the country; by 2010, a national map of medicinal materials should be established.

- Provincial Health Departments will develop plans to protect, rationally exploit, and regenerate natural medicinal resources to prevent uncontrolled exploitation that disrupts ecological balance and endangers rare species.

- Traditional Medicine Hospitals, medical universities, pharmacy colleges, and commune health stations must establish medicinal plant gardens as prescribed.

- Strengthen traditional medicine centers in northern mountainous regions (research and processing stations in Sa Pa...), central highlands (Tam Dao medicinal garden), central region (North Central Research Center for Medicinal Materials), Red River Delta (Hanoi Research and Processing Center for Medicinal Plants), coastal central region (Quang Nam), southern medicinal plant regions; Western Highlands (Da Lat Research Center for Medicinal Materials), Mekong Delta, and Dong Thap Muoi Conservation and Research Center for Medicinal Materials.

- The Institute of Medicinal Materials will cooperate with localities to conduct surveys and plan specialized cultivation areas for medicinal plants and animals, prioritizing those with high economic value, good therapeutic effects, and high demand. Cultivate and export medicinal materials suitable for Vietnam's climate to generate funds for importing medicinal materials that cannot be grown domestically or whose quality does not meet standards.

- Establish standards and manage the quality of medicinal materials.

5.3. From 2006 to 2010:

- Cooperate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to plan specialized cultivation areas for medicinal plants, gradually achieving the principle of "Good Agricultural and Collection Practices" (GACP) by 2010.

- Medicinal material stations and cultivation centers are responsible for organizing guidance for the public on techniques for growing, caring for, and harvesting medicinal plants; providing high-quality seeds; advising on disease prevention and treatment for medicinal plants; and guiding harvesting, preliminary processing, and storage techniques.

- Traditional medicine drug production facilities must organize contracts for timely production and purchase of medicinal materials grown by facilities and households. Purchase prices must be reasonable to encourage planting medicinal materials and prevent farmers from suffering losses due to growing medicinal plants in specialized and intercropping areas.

- The Ministry of Health will strengthen the review and registration of numbers for traditional medicine drug formulations produced and circulated by facilities meeting the required standards and conditions. Encourage traditional medicine drug production facilities to invest in upgrading their facilities and professional skills, aiming to achieve "Good Manufacturing Practice" (GMP) standards by 2010.

- Encourage the establishment of "Traditional Medicine Drug and Medicinal Material Trading Centers" in northern, central, and southern regions.

- Study and plan the construction of storage systems and distribution networks for medicinal materials to ensure timely and convenient supply to users while maintaining quality standards.

- Study and plan the establishment of modern technology processing and manufacturing centers for traditional medicine pills and drugs in northern, central, and southern regions to facilitate the procurement of medicinal materials and production, meeting domestic needs and export requirements.

- Expand the network of high-quality traditional medicine pill and finished drug suppliers to healthcare facilities across the country through three tiers, based on the consolidation and strengthening of units under the Vietnam Pharmaceutical Corporation, making the circulation and distribution of traditional medicine drugs and finished products one of the main functions of these units.

6. Strengthen management of traditional medicine practice:

6.1. In 2005-2006, under the Ministry of Health's leadership, provincial Health Departments will organize studies, surveys, and evaluations of the effectiveness of private traditional medicine healthcare facilities. Compile lists of traditional medicine practitioners operating at the local and national levels.

6.2. Improve the legal framework to facilitate participation in practice for qualified traditional medicine practitioners and create a favorable legal environment for traditional medicine healthcare facilities.

6.3. Streamline administrative procedures for accepting applications and issuing licenses for traditional medicine practice. Increase decentralization in the review, issuance, and management of licenses for traditional medicine practice facilities.

6.4. From 2005 to 2010:

- Annually, provincial Health Departments will organize professional training and updates on regulatory documents for private traditional medicine practitioners to enhance their performance.

- The Ministry of Health will cooperate with provincial Health Departments to strengthen inspection and supervision; strictly handle violations.

7. Promote traditional medicine activities at commune health stations:

7.1. In 2005:

- The Ministry of Health will organize the compilation and printing of family medicinal plant books, simple first aid methods, acupressure, massage techniques for preventing and treating common illnesses for all village health workers and households.

- Strengthen the traditional medicine diagnosis and treatment section at commune health stations, managed by traditional medicine staff within the station's staffing quota. All other health station staff must be trained in traditional medicine to integrate it into treatment practices.

- Commune health stations must establish traditional medicinal plant gardens as prescribed.

7.2. From 2006 to 2010:

- 40% of the drugs used at commune health stations will be traditional medicine drugs.

- At commune health stations and village health facilities, common illnesses at the onset should be treated with Traditional Medicine (YHCT). Other diseases must be treated through a combination of Traditional Medicine and Modern Medicine to achieve the target that 40% of patients are examined and treated with Traditional Medicine as prescribed.

8. Regarding socialization efforts:

8.1. The People's Committees of provinces shall direct local health sectors to coordinate with relevant departments and social organizations to thoroughly implement the contents and solutions of the National Policy on Traditional Medicine until 2010; promote, educate, and mobilize the public to revive the movement of growing and using "family medicinal plants," and simple non-drug methods for preventing and treating common ailments within communities. The health sector is responsible for professional work.

8.2. In 2005-2006, the Ministry of Health will cooperate with the Ministry of Education and Training to draft and promulgate extracurricular educational content, develop model programs to popularize basic knowledge among teachers to guide students on how to grow and use some family medicinal plants to treat common ailments within communities.

8.3. For 2005-2010:

- The Department of Health will cooperate with the Provincial Association of Traditional Medicine to disseminate basic knowledge of Traditional Medicine (simple herbal remedies - massage, manipulation - acupuncture - physical exercises...) to the public; encourage households to grow and use family medicinal plants (vegetables that are also medicinal plants; fruits that are also medicinal plants; ornamental plants that are also medicinal plants) to realize the goal of having "local doctors and local medicines" for the people to prevent and treat common illnesses at home from the early stages of disease onset; link family medicine gardens with poverty reduction goals in their locality.

- Diversify various forms of healthcare services and herbal medicine production and business to meet the needs of medical examination and treatment for the people. Strengthen cooperation between units and economic sectors in the field of Traditional Medicine in all areas of training, research and development, drug production, medical examination, and treatment.

9. Intensify propaganda efforts in the field of Traditional Medicine:

9.1. In 2005, the Ministry of Health will produce a video film introducing family medicinal plants. Print and distribute the video film about family medicinal plants to commune health stations.

9.2. For 2005 to 2010: Utilize various forms of propaganda on mass media (TV news, written newspapers, leaflets, training sessions, conferences, seminars, etc.), build a website to introduce:

- Policies and guidelines of the Party and State regarding Traditional Medicine activities.

- Guidance on applying simple methods of Traditional Medicine for self-prevention and treatment of common ailments in the community; combat illegal practices and superstitious activities exploiting the reputation of Traditional Medicine.

10. International Cooperation:

10.1. In 2005:

- Consolidate the Center for Cooperation in the field of Traditional Medicine at the Central Traditional Medicine Hospital funded by the World Health Organization Western Pacific Region.

- Build a website to introduce Traditional Medicine in Vietnam.

10.2. For 2005-2010:

- Continue to consolidate and enhance the role of Traditional Medicine in Vietnam in Laos, Mexico, and other countries in the region and worldwide.

- Continue to accept foreign students for higher education training in Traditional Medicine.

10.3. Strengthen cooperation with China:

- Develop an annual plan to send Vietnamese students to China for undergraduate and postgraduate studies in Traditional Medicine.

- Send a delegation of Vietnamese officials to study and exchange experiences on developing Traditional Medicine with the Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China.

- Invite a delegation from the Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China to exchange on cooperation between the two countries in the field of Traditional Medicine.

IV. IMPLEMENTATION ORGANIZATION:

1. Establish a Steering Committee to implement the National Policy on Traditional Medicine until 2010 at three levels:

- Central Steering Committee:

+ To be chaired by the Deputy Minister of Health responsible for Traditional Medicine.

+ Deputy Chairmen are the Director of the Department of Traditional Medicine and the Chairman of the Vietnam Association of Traditional Medicine.

+ Members include Directors of Departments and Bureaus, Inspectors under the Ministry of Health, and related units.

+ Secretariat consists of specialized staff from Departments and Bureaus under the Ministry of Health.

Assign the Department of Traditional Medicine as the permanent office of the Central Steering Committee.

- Provincial Steering Committee:

+ To be chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee responsible for social affairs.

+ Deputy Chairmen are the Director of the Provincial Department of Health and the Chairman of the Provincial Association of Traditional Medicine.

+ Members include Heads of Departments and Bureaus, Inspectors under the Provincial Department of Health, Directors of Traditional Medicine Hospitals, and General Hospitals.

+ Secretary: Specialized staff responsible for Traditional Medicine activities in the Provincial Department of Health.

- District Steering Committee:

+ To be chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the District People's Committee responsible for social affairs; the Head of the District Health Office is the Deputy Chairman, members include the Chairman of the District Association of Traditional Medicine, the Director of the District General Hospital, and the Head of the Traditional Medicine Department at the District General Hospital.

+ Secretary: Staff responsible for Traditional Medicine activities - District Health Office.

2. Tasks of the Steering Committee:

- Based on the approved plan by the Minister of Health, develop plans for each locality.

- Direct relevant units to organize the implementation of the plan to implement the National Policy on Traditional Medicine.

- Organize inspections and evaluations of implementation results.

- Regularly report on the implementation results according to regulations.

V. EXPENSES FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

1. Expenses from the state budget:

- Annually, according to the implementation plan of the National Policy on Traditional Medicine, the Provincial Department of Health has the responsibility to allocate a certain amount of funds for the Steering Committee to implement the National Policy on Traditional Medicine to organize the implementation of approved activities effectively.

- Annually, the Ministry of Health will allocate a certain amount of funds according to the budget of the Steering Committee to ensure its operation and support the implementation of building provincial models in the North, Central, and South regions.

2. In addition to the allocated budget from the regular annual state budget, localities need to focus on tapping and effectively utilizing various sources of funding such as foreign aid, investment, etc., to implement and develop Traditional Medicine activities./.