Digital transformation connects healthcare and agriculture in medicinal plant development

Digital transformation is becoming an important tool to help the health and agriculture sectors coordinate more closely in preserving and developing medicinal herbs.

On November 14, in Hanoi, the Vietnam Academy of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy organized a workshop on “Digital transformation in training and scientific research in the field of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy”. The workshop is a practical activity towards the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the Department of Science, Technology and Training, Ministry of Health (1955-2025).

The event attracted scientists , medical training institutions and many experts interested in medicinal plant conservation and sustainable development.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Huy - Director of the Vietnam Academy of Traditional Medicine - Pharmacy said that digital transformation opens up a new approach in preserving, developing and sustainably using domestic medicinal resources. Photo: Lan Chi.

Digital transformation promotes conservation and sustainable development of medicinal herbs

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Quoc Huy - Director of the Vietnam Academy of Traditional Medicine - Pharmacy said that digital transformation is not only a process of modernizing management and improving training quality but also opens up a new approach in preserving, developing and sustainably using domestic medicinal resources.

Mr. Huy emphasized that the Academy's electronic learning materials systems, online learning management systems, digital question banks and research data platforms all contribute to reducing paper consumption, limiting resource waste and enhancing the ability to share knowledge widely and transparently. In particular, digitalizing traditional medicine knowledge helps preserve valuable medicinal recipes, avoid loss and support farmers in planning and developing medicinal herb growing areas according to sustainable standards.

Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ngo Quang - Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Training, Ministry of Health, commented that Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo on breakthroughs in science and technology development, innovation and digital transformation is creating favorable conditions for the health sector to apply technology in training and research. Dr. Nguyen Ngo Quang affirmed: "The treasure of traditional medical knowledge is a priceless asset of the nation. Digitizing this knowledge system helps us to better preserve, better manage and more effectively use medicinal resources."

According to the leader of the Department of Science, Technology and Training, when data on medicinal herbs, prescriptions, growing areas and preparation processes are digitized and interconnected, the health sector and the agricultural sector can effectively manage medicinal herb resources, limit spontaneous exploitation that damages the ecosystem; plan growing areas according to scientific standards; trace origins, meet domestic and international standards; apply artificial intelligence to analyze and forecast the demand for medicinal herbs, helping farmers produce according to sustainable value chains.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Nguyen Ngo Quang - Director of the Department of Science, Technology and Training, Ministry of Health, Resolution No. 57-NQ/TW of the Politburo and digital transformation are creating favorable conditions for the health sector to apply technology in training and research. Photo: Lan Chi.

Delegates at the workshop said that digital technology is opening up unprecedented opportunities for the Vietnamese medicinal plant industry. Specifically, Big Data allows analysis of growing area characteristics, medicinal plant quality and climate impacts, supporting the development of medicinal plant agriculture that adapts to environmental change. Artificial intelligence (AI) can simulate the effects of medicinal plants on virtual models, reducing the need for costly testing and limiting the impact on the ecosystem. Digital databases on medicinal plants help control quality, avoid confusion of medicinal plants - a major risk in traditional medicine. Digital maps of medicinal plant areas help connect farmers - businesses - training facilities, building a transparent supply chain.

These applications not only improve the quality of teaching and research but also directly support the agricultural sector in the conservation, exploitation and sustainable development of medicinal herbs.

Orientation to become a digital Academy associated with green development

Within the framework of the workshop, the Academy introduced its development orientation for the period 2025-2030 with the goal of becoming one of the pioneers in digital transformation in medical and pharmaceutical training. Key contents include: building a smart digital Academy; developing a data platform for medicinal research; promoting online training and blended training to reduce travel needs and save fuel; enhancing virtual simulation to minimize the use of real materials and specimens.

This approach contributes to realizing the green education trend, in line with the orientation of environmental protection and sustainable development that the Government is promoting.

The workshop showed that digital transformation is becoming an important tool to help the health and agriculture sectors coordinate more closely in the conservation and development of medicinal herbs. Photo: Lan Chi.

From an environmental and agricultural perspective, the workshop showed that digital transformation is becoming an important tool to help the health and agriculture sectors coordinate more closely in the conservation and development of medicinal herbs.

Digital technology helps: improve the quality of training and research; preserve ethnic knowledge; support farmers in growing medicinal herbs in a standardized and sustainable manner; minimize environmental impacts in exploitation and production; create a transparent and internationally competitive medicinal herb value chain.

The workshop ended with the expectation that digital transformation will continue to spread, becoming an important driving force to help the Vietnamese traditional medicine and pharmacy industry develop sustainably, closely linked with the goal of conserving natural resources, developing green agriculture and improving public health.

Following the success of the workshop, the Vietnam Academy of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy simultaneously coordinated with the Department of Science, Technology and Training to prepare an exhibition area at the event "Breakthrough in science and technology development, digital transformation and medical human resource training" taking place on November 17 and 18.

The exhibition is expected to introduce: outstanding research on medicinal herbs, digital models of traditional medical knowledge, technology applications in training and preserving medicinal recipes, images and documents presented using digital means to minimize the use of paper materials.

Source: https://nongnghiepmoitruong.vn/chuyen-doi-so-gan-ket-y-te--nong-nghiep-trong-phat-trien-duoc-lieu-d784351.html