Vietnam to build global traditional medicine brand by 2045

Vietnam is embarking on an ambitious journey to transform its traditional medicine (YHCT) into a globally recognized brand by 2045. This strategic initiative, guided by top leadership, aims to intertwine YHCT with the burgeoning health economy, medical tourism, and the export of traditional products, leveraging Vietnam's cultural heritage as a soft power asset.

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We need to accelerate the building of a national brand for Vietnamese traditional medicine, linked to the health economy, medical tourism, product exports, and combining the soft power of Vietnamese culture.

The plan emphasizes a significant push in science and technology, digital transformation, and intellectual property protection. Key actions include digitizing a vast repository of ancestral remedies and ethnic medical knowledge, creating a national YHCT database, and intensifying clinical research. The goal is to standardize treatments, rigorously control the quality of medicinal ingredients and traditional drugs, and support intellectual property rights to develop national brands for high-value traditional remedies. Vietnam also plans to establish national science and technology programs and cultivate strong YHCT centers to lead research, technology transfer, and global promotion.

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Traditional Vietnamese medicine is a precious treasure trove of heritage accumulated over thousands of years of history. From the guiding principle 'Southern medicine treats Southern people' of famous physicians like Tue Tinh and Hai Thuong Lan Ong Le Huu Trac, traditional medicine has accompanied the cause of protecting and caring for people's health.

Currently, Vietnam's YHCT sector boasts 66 public and 10 private hospitals, with YHCT beds accounting for about 16% of the national total. These facilities handle approximately 7 million patient visits annually. However, this represents only about 3.3% of the total healthcare service volume nationwide. Experts note that YHCT's potential is not yet fully realized due to legal gaps, underutilized natural medicinal resources, limited in-depth scientific research, and a less prominent international standing compared to countries like China and South Korea.

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Traditional Vietnamese medicine is still underdeveloped compared to its potential due to legal loopholes, neglected natural medicinal resources, limited in-depth scientific research, and a dim international position compared to leading countries like China and South Korea.

The 2045 development strategy is seen as a critical step to comprehensively restructure the sector, transforming this ancient heritage into a powerful economic driver for medicinal resources. The overarching goal is to build a modern, scientific, and internationally integrated YHCT system, positioning Vietnam as a leading Asian hub for medicinal resources and a strong pillar of its national healthcare system.

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The implementation of the Strategy for the Development of Vietnamese Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy until 2045 is an urgent requirement to comprehensively restructure the sector, turning heritage into a strong economic driver for medicinal resources.