23rd Myanmar Traditional Medicine Practitioners’ Conference, Myanmar Traditional Medicine Seminar kick off
NAY PYI TAW November 22
A ceremony to launch the 23rd Myanmar Traditional Medicine Practitioners’ Conference and Myanmar Traditional Medicine Seminar took place at the Myanmar International Convention Centre II in Nay Pyi Taw this morning.
Present at the ceremony were Patron of the Leading Committee for rganizing the Conference and Seminar Vice Chairman of the State Administration Council Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win together with council members, union ministers, deputy ministers, senior military officers, Nay Pyi Taw Council members, departmental heads, ambassadors and charges d’affaires of foreign embassies to Myanmar, the President of Myanmar Medical Council, members of the advisory board of traditional medicine, resident representatives of UN agencies, NGOs, Traditional Medicine Council members, representatives from Myanmar Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association and traditional medicines across the nation, Myanmar traditional medicine entrepreneurs, medicine entrepreneurs, faculty members and students of traditional medicine hospital and the Traditional Medicine University.
First, Chairman of the Leading Committee Union Minister for Health Prof Dr Thet Khine Win, Deputy Minister Prof Dr Aye Tun, Nay Pyi Taw Council member Col Ye Moe, Director General of Traditional Medicine Department Dr Su Su Dwe, President of Myanmar Traditional Medicine Council U Myint Oo, Chairman of the Advisory Board Dr U Meik and Chairman of Myanmar Traditional Medicine Practitioners Association U Thein Win formally cut the ribbon to launch the conference and seminar.
The Vice-Senior General pressed the button to open the conference and seminar.
Then, a video message sent by SAC Chairman Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to the conference and seminar was screened.
Next, the Vice-Senior General delivered a speech, saying that global countries are sustaining the traditional medicines and traditionally medicinal therapies.
Before emergence of the western medical education, modern drugs and medical technologies, traditional medicines and therapies were used in treating the patients.
In Myanmar, starting from the reign of the ancient Myanmar kings, natural resources have been utilized for medicinal purposes to treat ailments. Traditional Myanmar medicine has long played a significant role in providing healthcare services to the people for over a thousand years. During the reign of King Mindon, prominent monks and traditional medicine practitioners translated Ayuvvedic medical texts from Sanskrit into the Myanmar language and compiled traditional medicine treatises.
During the reign of King Mindon, Taungtha six-word medical techniques of the traditional Myanmar medicine system were developed by Taungtha traditional practitioner Saya Hmont. Highly skilled and qualified medical practitioners were appointed as royal physicians and conferred the honorary title of "Nay Myo Bhisakkaraja" as a mark of distinction.
The government has been promoting the traditional medicine sector. The development tasks of Myanmar traditional medicine gathered pace as the Department of Myanmar Traditional Medicine was separately established on 3 August,1989.
The University of Myanmar Traditional Medicine was opened in Mandalay in 2001 and bachelor and master degrees in Myanmar traditional medicine have been offered to new generations.
Myanmar traditional medicine consultations were occasionally held and conferences of Myanmar traditional medicine physicians have been held annually since the year 2000. It is the 23rd conference of Myanmar traditional medicine physicians.
The objectives of the conferences and consultations are: ‘‘To recognize the quality of traditional medicine education,” “To further develop traditional medicine and align its practices with modern systems,” “To train and produce more qualified traditional medicine professionals,” and “To respect and uphold the traditional cultural heritage of Myanmar’s medical practices.” Future tasks and solutions must be discussed at the conference to achieve the objectives. The government has been carrying out tasks for the health and longevity of the entire people and for the development of the health sector by promoting the health standards of national people.
I am glad to see that tractional medicine physicians are exerting efforts while the government has been promoting the role of traditional medicine seriously.
In doing so, I would like to urge all to observe the traditional medicine council law and traditional medicine laws so that such efforts are systematic and ethical.
The traditional medicine university has been nurturing diploma holders, graduates and postgraduates in Myanmar traditional medicine and plans are underway to introduce doctoral courses in 2025 with the support of the government.
By holding the traditional medicine conference, there are benefits of preserving Myanmar traditional medicine, a national cultural heritage, creating opportunity for veteran physicians to discuss experiences and knowledge about three kinds of knowledge such as diseases, treatments and medicines with new generations, leaving legacy of traditional medicines. Traditional medicine physicians will be able to provide healthcare services by using quality traditional medicine treatments and medicines through decisions and outcomes of the conference. The public will appreciate traditional medicine, a legacy of forefathers and foremothers, and rely on it more. New generation traditional medicine physicians are urged to exert efforts for development of future traditional medicine in line with changing times.
It is necessary for physicians to cooperate with traditional medicine sectors of world countries by linking with them at a higher level for the development and modernization of Myanmar traditional medicine. Efforts must be made for development of Myanmar traditional medicine and production of potent Myanmar traditional medicines that can penetrate into international markets by cooperating in the traditional medicine sector with international organizations such as Shanghai Cooperation Organization, ASEAN, BIMSTEC, Greater Mekong Subregion.
Moreover, participants are urged to discuss ways and means for further development of Myanmar traditional medicine as a national heritage at the conference by collecting the essence of Myanmar traditional medicine such as treatments, invaluable medical treatises and potent medicines.
During the outbreak of COVID-19, research on effectiveness of Visama fever pills, a traditional medicine, was successfully conducted in an attempt for prevention and treatments of the disease through traditional medicine.
The SAC is proud to learn that the traditional medicine is being distributed free of charge and used in traditional medicine hospitals after conducting tests on its quality, immediate and short-term side effects, strength of the medicine on healthy people and COVID-19 patients and applying for registration.
It is also encouraging to learn that physicians energetically provided healthcare services to the people through traditional medicine during natural disasters such as storms and floods.
To promote the further development of Myanmar’s traditional medicine, ensure the quality and safety of traditional medicines, and cultivate more skilled traditional medicine practitioners, the Department of Traditional Medicine under the Ministry of Health has accelerated efforts to advance traditional medicine practices with the support of the state. Currently, Myanmar boasts 3 traditional medicine hospitals with 100 beds each, 9 hospitals with 50 beds each, 13 hospitals with 25 beds each, and 24 hospitals with 16 beds each. Additionally, there are 50 district traditional medicine clinics and 210 township clinics, contributing significantly to the health and well-being of the public through the effective use of Myanmar’s traditional medicine.
This progress is a source of pride and joy. Efforts have been encouraged for traditional medicine practitioners and manufacturers to continually engage in collaboration, exchange, and mutual trade of traditional medicines.
Practitioners are urged to preserve the legacy of crafting effective medicines from the natural resources forests, mountains, water, and land available within Myanmar, ensuring the wellbeing of the public through self-manufactured remedies.
At the Traditional Medicine Practitioners’ Conference and Myanmar Traditional Medicine Symposium, State Administration Council Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice- Senior General Soe Win presented awards for operational excellence to 50-bed traditional medicine hospitals. First place was awarded to the 50-bed hospital in Bago, second place to the 50-bed hospital in Taunggyi, and third place to the 50-bed hospital in Hpa-an, with their respective medical superintendents receiving the awards.
Subsequently, SAC member Deputy Prime Minister Union Minister for Defence Admiral Tin Aung San awarded operational performance prizes to 25-bed traditional medicine hospitals.
Similarly, SAC member Union Minister for Home Affairs Lt- Gen Yar Pyae awarded prizes to 16-bed hospitals.
Following this, a video documenting the development activities of the Traditional Medicine Department was showcased.
The Vice-Senior General and party posed for commemorative photographs with the Myanmar Medical Council chairman, advisory committee members for traditional medicine, traditional medicine practitioners, manufacturers, and officials.
After the opening ceremony, the Vice-Senior General, along with officials, visited exhibitions showcasing traditional medicine products and related displays organized by the Traditional Medicine Department. Later, the chairman and members of Myanmar Traditional Medicine Manufacturers and Medical Equipment Entrepreneurs Association paid their respects to the Vice-Senior General by presenting a basket of traditional medicines.
In the evening, the Vice-Senior General and party attended the 23rd Myanmar Traditional Medicine Practitioners’ Conference and Symposium dinner.
The dinner featured entertainment provided by artists from the Ministry of Information’s Myanmar Radio and Television, who performed musical pieces for the attendees.
At the end of the dinner, Vice- Senior General Soe Win presented medical baskets of honor to the performing artists.