Ho Chi Minh City spends $19mn advancing traditional medicine treatment

The two centers are set to open in the next two or three years, said a hospital representative.

The hospital on Tuesday held a ceremony to receive the ISO 15189:2022 certification, an international standard for quality management and technical competence in medical laboratories, awarded to its laboratory and diagnostic imaging departments.

Speaking at the event, Tang Chi Thuong, director of the municipal Department of Health, congratulated the hospital on becoming the first traditional medicine institution in Vietnam to achieve the ISO 15189 certification.

He encouraged the hospital to continue strengthening international cooperation, particularly in research, training, and technology transfer, to further enhance service quality and professional capacity.

The city’s department has outlined a plan to establish a network of traditional medicine facilities connecting four specialized hospitals, including the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Medicine Hospital, the Traditional Medicine Institute, the Ba Ria Traditional Medicine Hospital, and the Binh Duong Traditional Medicine Hospital.

This integrated network aims to link specialized and grassroots-level units, improving treatment quality, sharing resources, and expanding public access to traditional medicine in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces.

Thuong said that one of the department’s key priorities is the development of elderly care services – integrating traditional medicine and rehabilitation.

He noted that this aspect, previously managed by the municipal Department of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs, has been transferred to the health department.

In the near future, the city will implement a comprehensive plan to develop an elderly care system.

He also proposed that the Ministry of Health issue a circular allowing traditional medicines produced by the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Medicine Hospital to be sold or distributed to other medical facilities, instead of being restricted to internal use.

The proposal is meant to enable hospitals to leverage their research and production capabilities to develop standardized traditional medicines, contributing to the broader advancement of the sector.

Dr. Do Tan Khoa, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Traditional Medicine Hospital, stated that the hospital aims to become a specialized, hi-tech medical facility for traditional medicine and pharmacy during the 2025-30 period.

Mentioning the city’s investment on traditional medicine treatment quality, he underlined that with strategic planning and a long-term vision, the hospital will develop a model of medical tourism that will serve as a sustainable growth platform, elevate Vietnam’s traditional medicine on the regional stage, and meet the increasing public demand for healthcare, rehabilitation, and wellness.