Việt Nam had 66 traditional medicine hospitals in 57 localities at the end of last year, an increase of two compared to 2018.— Photo soyte.hanoi.gov.vn

HÀ NỘI — Fifty-seven provinces and centrally-run cities had established their own traditional medicine hospitals as of the end of 2019, leaving only six provinces without any hospitals of this kind.

The figures were revealed yesterday at a conference on developing a traditional medicine hospital network, organised by the Ministry of Health’s Agency for Traditional Medicine Administration in Hà Nội.

Việt Nam had 66 traditional medicine hospitals in 57 localities at the end of last year, an increase of two compared to 2018.

The six provinces that were still lacking included Bắc Kạn in the north, Đắk Nông in the Central Highlands, and An Giang, Bạc Liêu, Sóc Trăng and Hậu Giang in the south.

Some 88 per cent of the country’s hospitals had set up traditional medicine faculties or departments.

As of December 28, 2019, 83.2 per cent of communal medical stations offered traditional medical services.

Traditional medicine hospitals had helped the health sector meet the diverse needs for healthcare in the country, according to the ministry.

However, their share of the nation’s hospital beds remained modest at just over 12 per cent.

The health sector is aiming to create a breakthrough in traditional medicine in 2020 by raising the percentage of patients receiving traditional medicine treatment or in combination with modern medicine to 10 per cent at central level hospitals, 20 per cent at provincial level hospitals, 25 per cent at district level hospitals, and 40 per cent at communal level facilities.

Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc last year issued a decision to start a programme to develop traditional medicine in conjunction with modern medicine towards 2030.

The decision aims to have at least one traditional medicine hospital in all provinces and centrally-run cities, and traditional medicine faculties in 95 per cent of all hospitals. — VNS