Vietnam approves traditional medicine plan: hospital in every province by 2030

Vietnam approved a national strategy for traditional medicine on Tuesday, 13 October 2026, setting targets to 2030 with a longer vision to 2045. Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra signed Decision 1976/QD-TTg, according to Vietnam's state media. The plan aims to turn traditional medicine into a modern, science-based and internationally connected part of the country's health system by 2030, with goals for hospitals, village-level clinics, staff, research, health insurance and the domestic medicinal-herb industry.

Vietnam is treating its traditional medicine not just as heritage but as an economic and diplomatic asset. Officials have described the strategy as a way to build a high-value traditional medicine economy, support health tourism, strengthen the country's soft power and create a national brand for the field. That is close to how India has framed Ayush over the past decade: as a health system, an industry and a calling card abroad.

The targets also show where Vietnam sees its weak points. The herb goal is modest on purpose. Aiming for local farms to cover only a fifth of domestic demand shows how far the country still relies on imported medicinal herbs, and the plan pairs that target with a push on quality and branding. India's Ayush makers face a similar test: growth in demand means little if the supply of reliable, standardised raw herbs does not keep pace.

The insurance target matters most for patients. Traditional care is often paid for out of pocket. A promise to at least double insurance spending on it, and to put trained staff in nearly every commune clinic, is an attempt to make it a routine, covered part of primary care rather than a private extra.

For Indian readers the comparison is direct. On the same day, 13 October, India's Ministry of Ayush released Standard Treatment Guidelines for skin conditions such as psoriasis, dermatitis and vitiligo across Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homoeopathy, with Yoga included, to make clinical practice more uniform. Both countries are moving traditional systems towards written standards, measured results and hospital-based care. Traditional medicine is also on the world agenda: the World Health Organization has said Thailand will host its third Global Summit on Traditional Medicine in 2027.

Short-term: Vietnam's ministries and provinces now have to turn the decision into budgets, building plans and staff training programmes. Herb growers and makers of traditional medicines can expect more official attention on quality and exports.

Long-term: If the targets are met, traditional medicine would be available in every province's hospital network and in village clinics, covered by insurance, and backed by a larger domestic herb industry. That would make Vietnam a stronger competitor in the regional market for herbal products and wellness travel, where India's Ayush sector also wants to grow.

Who is affected: Patients in Vietnam, especially in rural communes; traditional medicine doctors and students; herb farmers and manufacturers; and, more indirectly, Indian Ayush exporters and wellness-tourism businesses that compete for the same international customers.

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