The ninth conference on traditional medicine of countries in the Greater Mekong Sub-region will take place in Hanoi on September 5 and 6, according to the Ministry of Health.

Medical workers are preparing traditional medicine for patients at the HCM City Traditional Medicine Hospital

The conference will be themed 'Traditional medicine in caring for the community’s health', said director of the ministry’s Department of Traditional Medicine Management Pham Vu Khanh at a press briefing on August 29.

The event will review work since the last conference in Myanmar in 2017 and discuss cooperation in traditional medicine among countries in the region, particularly in traditional medicine and herbal medicine preservation and development, he said.

Participants will also introduce the latest achievements in traditional medicine and share experience and information relating to using traditional medicine in public healthcare.

On the sidelines of the conference there will be an expo on traditional medicine products of countries in the sub-region and a showcase for traditional medicine practitioners from countries in the region to demonstrate their traditional therapies.

The healthcare system of traditional Vietnamese medicine has been expanded, with all 63 provinces and cities nationwide having traditional medicine hospitals.

An estimated 30 percent of patients get treatment by traditional medicine or are treated by traditional medicine in combination with modern medicine, according to the ministry.

The Greater Mekong Sub-region consists of Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and China.