Ho Chi Minh City develops traditional medicine combined with modern medicine

In Ho Chi Minh City, the development of a combined Eastern-Western medicine model, standardization of treatment regimens, expansion of research and application of digital technology are contributing to increasingly better treatment results, helping traditional medicine become closer to the people.

Medical examination and treatment activities at Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Traditional Medicine.

Walking slowly in the campus of the Institute of Traditional Medicine in Ho Chi Minh City, Mrs. Pham Thi Cuc, 67 years old, showed a happy face. She was happy because for over a month, every week she came here to receive treatment using traditional methods combined with modern therapy, thanks to which her bone and joint disease has improved significantly.

“With continuous treatment and medication, I find it less painful to walk and my daily activities are easier than before,” Ms. Cuc shared.

In Ho Chi Minh City, leading medical facilities in traditional medicine such as the City Institute of Traditional Medicine or the City Traditional Medicine Hospital have recently implemented a combined Eastern-Western medicine model, bringing effective treatment and comprehensive health recovery to the people, especially chronic diseases, musculoskeletal, nervous, digestive and respiratory.

The elderly are being treated by a therapist.

According to Dr. Ho Van Han, Director of the City's Traditional Medicine Institute, within the framework of the model of combining Eastern and Western medicine, the Institute is implementing the 4T therapy including T1 - spirit, psychology, which guides patients to reduce stress, anxiety, anger, live simply, balance work and rest. When the mind is at peace, it helps improve blood pressure, sleep, digestion and immunity.

T2 - Macrobiotics includes complete nutrition, prioritizing delicious and healthy foods, limiting fried foods, drinks that cause metabolic disorders, food becomes a natural remedy to help prevent diseases and increase resistance.

T3 - exercise such as tai chi, qigong, yoga, and light walking to help with ventilation, blood circulation, strengthen muscles and joints, and improve sleep and spirit.

Doctor Ho Van Han, Director of the Institute of Traditional Medicine, spoke at the activity of accompanying patients.

T4 - therapy is acupuncture, thread implantation, acupressure massage, combined with modern physical therapy, shock waves, spinal traction, and therapeutic ultrasound to help restore function quickly and reduce side effects of Western medicine.

Dr. Han emphasized: “The 4T therapy creates a closed circle including examination, treatment, recovery, prevention, and improvement of community health. This is also a symbol of the philosophy of humanistic medicine, treating diseases from the body, healing diseases from the mind, preventing diseases from lifestyle and developing health from knowledge.”

At the City Hospital of Traditional Medicine, the strategy of three synchronized traditional medicine lines is being applied, including the initial line being a medical station with traditional medicine staff, a medicinal herb garden with the function of disease prevention consultation and drug-free rehabilitation. This is a place close to the people to help them prevent diseases and receive basic treatment.

The patient is being treated as an inpatient at the Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Traditional Medicine.

The basic line is the traditional medicine department at the general hospital, equipped with modern facilities, with a regimen combining traditional medicine and modern medicine, rehabilitation, and improving the effectiveness of chronic disease treatment.

And the final specialized line is the provincial, city and central traditional medicine hospital focusing on in-depth specialties, training, technology transfer, scientific research and at the same time being the focal point for developing medical tourism.

Dr. Do Tan Khoa, Director of the City Hospital of Traditional Medicine, pointed out: “Although many positive results have been achieved, traditional medicine still faces many challenges from the lack of human resources, some services and medicines are not fully covered by insurance, social awareness is still limited and scientific research is not large enough to be published internationally.”

In the new phase, for sustainable development, the City's traditional medicine sector is synchronously implementing solutions, focusing on research and evidence-based traditional medicine with the task of clinical research on acupuncture, thread implantation, medicinal herbs, post-stroke recovery, and post-Covid-19 syndrome. Continuing to link domestic and foreign institutes, schools, and businesses to standardize methods according to international standards.

In addition, it is necessary to perfect the institution and develop the traditional medicine space through promulgating the Law on Traditional Medicine of Vietnam, planning areas for growing precious medicinal herbs and applying biotechnology, and building standardized value chains.

Dr. Khoa said: "It is necessary to closely combine traditional medicine and modern medicine such as integrating treatment regimens, comprehensive rehabilitation, implementing telemedicine and electronic medical records to help patients access more quickly and conveniently."

Ho Chi Minh City’s traditional medicine sector is facing a great opportunity to assert its role as a solid pillar of modern medicine. Traditional medicine combined effectively with modern medicine has opened up an effective direction for care and treatment, contributing to improving community health more and more sustainably.

Nhat Thanh

Source: https://nhandan.vn/thanh-pho-ho-chi-minh-phat-trien-y-hoc-co-truyen-ket-hop-hien-dai-post923522.html