From Vietnam's mountains to Swiss Alps: How medicinal herbs bridge two nations

Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of Vietnam's Party General Secretary and State President To Lam, welcomed Caroline Parmelin, spouse of Swiss President Guy Parmelin, to the Hanoi University of Pharmacy on Friday during the Swiss leader's official visit to Vietnam.

The visit offered an unusual diplomatic connection: medicinal herbs that have long been used to treat illnesses and support livelihoods in the mountainous regions of both countries.

A shared connection through medicinal plants

The university itself provided a historical link between the two nations.

Its predecessor, the Indochina Medical School, was once headed by Alexandre Yersin, a French physician and scientist of Swiss origin who was born in the canton of Vaud, the same region as President Parmelin.

Perhaps it was this connection that prompted Madame Caroline Parmelin to ask about Yersin’s time at the institution and the years he spent living and working in Vietnam.

More than a century after Western medicine was first taught here, the university continues to bridge East and West, teaching traditional medicine alongside modern medical science.

During a traditional medicine class, the spouses of the two countries' leaders explored Vietnam's rich variety of medicinal herbs, among them Ngoc Linh ginseng, a rare plant native to the country's central mountainous regions.

Madame Ly explained how the prized herb has become more than a traditional remedy, with products developed from it helping improve livelihoods for ethnic minority communities.

The story struck a familiar chord with Madame Parmelin, who noted that Switzerland also has similar medicinal plants and shares Vietnam's approach to supporting mountain communities through herbal cultivation.

In Switzerland, pharmaceutical companies have established long-term purchasing agreements to provide local growers with stable incomes.

Handmade gift carrying scent of Vietnam

One of the visit's warmest moments came when Madame Ly invited her Swiss guest to make a traditional Vietnamese herbal compress pillow.

Using a blend of 10 medicinal herbs, including ginger, cinnamon, eucalyptus, and star anise, the spouses of the two countries' leaders experienced a traditional practice intended to provide warmth and ease discomfort.

Madame Ly then presented Madame Parmelin with the pillow she had made herself, a small gift carrying the scents of Vietnamese herbs back to the Swiss Alps.

The visit continued with a documentary about Yersin, an exhibition tracing Vietnam's medicinal plants from cultivation to finished products, and a tea gathering featuring traditional Vietnamese cakes.

Madame Parmelin described the university visit as one of the highlights of her trip, noting the similarities between the two countries in their use of medicinal plants for healthcare and their efforts to support mountain communities.

From herbal traditions to pharmaceutical cooperation

The visit came as Vietnam and Switzerland marked 55 years of diplomatic relations, highlighting opportunities to deepen cooperation in traditional medicine and pharmaceuticals.

Switzerland, a global pharmaceutical powerhouse, has included certain physician-provided herbal medicine treatments under compulsory health insurance since 2017.

Vietnam, meanwhile, is seeking to combine its extensive traditional medicinal knowledge and botanical resources with modern scientific research.

These complementary strengths could support cooperation in pharmaceutical research, quality testing, training, and investment.

During a meeting in New York in September, Vietnam's Party chief To Lam encouraged Swiss companies to expand investment in Vietnam, particularly in sectors where Switzerland has expertise, including pharmaceuticals.

Cooperation could deepen further with the planned signing of a free trade agreement between Vietnam and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA), which includes Switzerland, during President Parmelin's visit to Hanoi.

Photos capturing moments from the meeting between Madame Ly and Madame Parmelin, spouses of the Vietnamese and Swiss leaders: