The combination of traditional medicine and
Western medicine to help reduce complications is more common in Việt Nam. -
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Trần Thị
Tuyết Nhung, 55, had suffered pain for two months earlier this year before she
decided to visit Bình Chánh District Hospital for treatment.
After an
X-ray was taken, doctors at the hospital’s traditional medicine ward told her
she had sciatic nerve pain and prescribed 10 acupuncture treatments and several
herbal concoctions. By the end of treatment, she no longer felt pain.
Nguyễn Thị
Lâm Thao, the head of the ward, said that patients like Nhung were benefiting
more and more from both traditional and modern Western medicine treatments. The
use of medical tests like X-rays with traditional medicine treatments is being
used at many hospitals in Việt Nam.
“Patients
with cerebrovascular disease, for example, are given herbs to increase the
circulation of blood to the brain and physical therapy to help the patient move
normally after a diagnosis based on modern tests by hospital doctors trained in
Western medicine,” she added.
Dr Trần
Minh Sơn, head of Thủ Đức District Hospital’s Traditional Medicine Ward, said
that modern tests could detect disease effectively. “The ward’s doctors then
decide on the best therapy for patients. Medical tests can show if patient
suffer from heart disease or diabetes.”
“If
patients have high blood pressure or blood sugar, they are sent to the
hospital’s General Medicine Ward where they will be given Western medicines to
help control the problem, which are better than herbs,” he added.
However,
after the blood pressure and blood sugar levels become stable, herbs are given
to prevent further problems, Sơn said.
“Herbs
help reduce harm caused by western medicine used by patients for a long time.
This combination increases quality of treatment for patients,” he said.
Phạm Vũ
Khánh, head of the Traditional Medicine Management Department under the
Ministry of Health, said the combination of Western and traditional medicine
began in 1945 in the country to provide better primary healthcare.
But it
remained underused. In 2014, the Ministry of Health launched an action
programme that called for traditional medicine wards at general hospitals at
all levels (district, city, state). The wards act as advisors on traditional
medicine treatment to hospitals’ top managers and directors.
According
to a HCM City Department of Health, the city has 10 general hospitals with
traditional medicine wards and 22 out of 23 district hospitals have set up a
traditional medicine ward. District 1 Hospital is the only hospital in the city
with a team specialising in traditional medicine.
Although
89 per cent of general hospitals in the country have a traditional medicine
ward, Khánh said that was still not enough. He said many local authorities had
not recognised the importance of traditional medicine and had not incorporated
the practice in their healthcare service policies.
“The
combination of traditional medicine and Western medicine helps reduce
complications. For instance, a woman who has a urinary retention after
delivering her child can be treated with acupuncture. The modern treatment for
the condition such as bladder drainage, urethral dilation and urethral stents
could cause complications, including infection,” he said.
According
to the Health Department’s report, the number of patients treated with
traditional medicine only or a combination of Western and traditional medicine
at district-level hospitals and health centres last year increased by 6.2 per
cent compared to the figure in 2010.
Besides
public health facilities, private hospitals and foreign clinics are also using
the traditional/modern medicine combination. For instance, the privately run
American Chiropractic Clinic in the city combines physical therapy with
chiropractic medicine and acupuncture to treat back, knee and neck pain and
other problems.
Advantages
Khánh
said that traditional medicine doctors had improved in both quality and
quantity. “Many of them are very good,” he said, adding that universities of
medicine and pharmacy offer a major in traditional medicine.
In
addition, students majoring in Western medicine take courses in traditional
medicine to broaden their knowledge and capabilities.
Sơn said
that more and more doctors now have combined training compared to two years
ago. For instance, his ward has seven doctors trained in both fields.
The country
is also rich in a variety of herbs, which are usually produced in caplets or
small bags for patients to use easily.
However,
only 10 drug companies produce herbal products, so hospitals have a limited
choice when bidding for products, he said.
Besides
improved training and herbal products, equipment used in traditional medicine
treatment has also improved and is more modern than it was in the past,
according to Huỳnh Tấn Vũ of HCM City University Medical Centre’s Pain
Treatment Ward in Phú Nhuận District.
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