Decision No. 1976/QD-TTg of Oct 30,2013, approving the master plan on medicinal plant development through 2020, with orientations toward 2030

THE PRIME MINISTER

Decision No. 1976/QD-TTg of Oct 30,2013, approving the master plan on medicinal plant development through 2020, with orientations toward 2030

Pursuant to the December 25, 2001 Law on Organization of the Government;

Pursuant to the June 14, 2005 Pharmacy Law;

At the proposal of the Minister of Health,

DECIDES:

Article 1.To approve the master plan on medicinal plant development through 2020, with orientations toward 2030, with the following principal contents:

I. PLANNING VIEWPOINTS

1. To sustainably develop medicinal plant resources in Vietnam on the basis of efficient use of every potential in natural and social conditions to develop medicinal plant zones in association with preservation and rational exploitation of natural medicinal plant sources, and protection of biodiversity and ecological environment.

2. To develop medicinal plants toward commodity production to meet market demands, associating material production with product consumption, building of medicinal plant zones with processing industry, diversification of the product structure to ensure safety, quality and high competitiveness, meeting domestic consumption and export demands.

3. The State supports investment in scientific, technical and technological research and application in the protection of gene sources and exploitation of natural medicinal plants, medicinal plant cultivation, and processing of medicinal plants and their products.

4. To encourage various economic sectors to invest in the development of medicinal plant cultivation, further export medicinal plants and their products, contributing to the gradual increase of the proportion of pharmaceutical industry in the gross domestic product (GDP).

II. OBJECTIVES

1.    General objectives

a/ To develop medicinal plants into a commodity production industry based on science and technology application, renovation of equipment used in researches into selection and creation of strains, cultivation, processing, extraction and technology transfer, aiming to create high-quality products competitive in domestic, regional and world markets.

b/ To manage, sustainably exploit and use medicinal plant resources to achieve medical and social development objectives; to attach importance to the protection, preservation and development of precious and valuable medicinal plant genetic resources; to preserve, promote and enhance the protection of traditional knowledge about the use of medicinal herbs of various ethnic communities.

2.    Specific objectives

a/ To preserve and exploit natural medicinal plants

- To plan forest zones and areas with natural medicinal plants in 8 key medicinal plant zones in the northwest and northeast regions, including Red River delta, northern Central Vietnam, coastal areas of southern Central Vietnam, Central Highlands, and eastern and western South Vietnam, in order to select and rationally exploit 24 kinds of medicinal plants (Appendix I), reaching about 2,500 tons of medicinal materials a year.

- To build 5 national gardens for preservation and development of medicinal plants representing different ecological regions, where medicinal plants collected from different localities and representing typical climatic regions are preserved and cultivated to serve scientific research and medicinal plant development. To strive to preserve 50% of Vietnam’s total medicinal plant species by 2020 and 70% by 2030.

- To concentrate on the protection and preservation of valuable endemic and aboriginal genetic resources facing a high risk of extinction. To incrementally protect the safety of existing medicinal plant species currently at risk of extinction for sustainable development in nature.

- To effectively prevent the stealing and illegal export of indigenous genetic resources.

b/ To develop the cultivation of medicinal plants

- To plan the development of 54 advantageous medicinal plant species of the 8 ecological regions (Appendix II) suitable to their growth and development conditions so as to satisfy 60% of the total domestic pharmaceutical demand by 2020, and 80% by 2030, and increase the export of domestic medicinal plants and their products.

- To build concentrated medicinal plant cultivation zones suitable to each ecological region and with a scale capable of meeting market demands; to strive to develop the processes of cultivating 60 medicinal plant species by 2020, and 120 species by 2030 in accordance with the principles and standards of the good agricultural and collection practices for medicinal plants of the World Health Organization (GACP- WHO).

c/ To develop sources of medicinal plant varieties

- To strive for the adequate supply for medicinal plant varieties for large-scale medicinal plant cultivation and development. To supply 60% by 2020, and 80% by 2030 disease-free, high-yield and high quality medicinal plant strains.

- To restore, import, acclimatize, localize and develop medicinal plant species; Chinese medicinal herb origin largely used in traditional medicine.

- To research into, select and create new medicinal plant varieties of high yield; high quality and good characteristics, suitable to each ecological region, for medicinal plant production.

d/ To gradually increase the ratio of standardized raw materials (medicinal plant extract, essential oil and powder) in medicine factories under the good manufacturing practice principles and standards of the World Health Organization (GMP-WHO), striving for 80% by 2020, and 100% by 2030 of the standardized materials for domestic medicine factories;

dd/ To create products of high quality, low cost and high competitiveness in the market. To pay attention to environmental protection, applying the GACP-WHO technical processes, clean, environment-friendly and non-polluting technologies;

e/ To invest in the construction of factories for medicinal plant preliminary processing, processing and extraction, and medicinal plant trading centers so as to establish a favorable market for the supply and consumption of medicinal plant products;

g/ To further supplement the master plans on development of various species of alga, mushroom, animals, marine creatures, micro-organisms and minerals used as medicines in Vietnam for efficient use of all medicinal plant sources people’s health care and socio- economic development.

III. CONTENTS OF THE MASTER PLAN

1.    To plan zones for preservation and exploitation of natural medicinal plants

a/ To plan natural medicinal plant exploitation zones

- To investigate, assess and identify the number species, deposits and zones of potential exploitation.

- To plant natural medicinal plant exploitation zones identified according to 8 ecological regions: northwest and northeast regions, Red River delta, northern Central Vietnam, coastal areas of southern Central Vietnam, Central Highlands, and eastern and western regions of southern-Vietnam.

- To work out plans and measures for sustainable exploitation, contributing to the supply of natural medicinal plants to meet production demands and for use in medical examination and treatment.

b / To build a system of gardens for medicinal plant preservation and development

- To plan a system of gardens for medicinal plant preservation, aiming to firmly preserve the medicinal plant genetic resources.

- To protect, preserve and assess the value of gene sources, concentrating on sources of valuable endemic and aboriginal genes at high risk of extinction.

- To build 5 national gardens for medicinal plant preservation and development, representing different ecological regions to serve scientific research and medicinal plant development.

2.    To plan medicinal plant cultivation zones

To plan 8 concentrated zones for cultivating advantageous medicinal plants, suitable to the soil, climate and ecological conditions in order to meet market demands, concretely as follows:

a/ High mountainous region of subtropical climate: Lao Cai (Sa Pa), Lai Chau (Sin Ho) and Ha Giang (Dong Van, Quan Ba).

To develop cultivation of 13 species of medicinal plants, including 4 aboriginal species: stephaniae glabrae tuber, radix codonopsis, fallopia multiflora, teasel (dipsacus japonica) and 9 imported species: artichoke, eucommia ulmoides, radix angelicae, angelica sinensis, phellodendri amurensis, saussurea lappa clarke, aconitum fortunei, false ginseng (panax pseudo-ginseng) and ligusticum wallichii, on an area of about 2,550 ha. To prioritize the development of artichoke, angelica sinensis and radix codonopsis.

To combine cultivation with research and production of strains of medicinal plants imported from the North for medicinal plant development.

b/ Medium mountainous region of subtropical climate: Lao Cai (Bac Ha), Son La (Moc Chau) and Lam Dong (Da Lat).

To develop cultivation of 12 species of medicinal plants, including 5 aboriginal species: stephaniae glabrae tuber, radix codonopsis, fallopia multiflora, teasel (dipsacus japonica) and job’s tears (Coix lachryma - jobi L.) and 7 imported species: artichoke, atractylodes rhizome, angelica dahurica, matricaria chamomilla L., eucommia ulmoides, angelica sinensis and radix scrophulariae, on an area of about 3,150 ha. To prioritize the development of atractylodes rhizome, eucommia ulmoides and artichoke.

c/ The northern mid-land mountainous region: Bac Giang, Yen Bai, Quang Ninh and Lang Son.

To develop the cultivation of 16 species of medicinal plants, including 13 aboriginal species: Morinda officinalis, polyscias fruticosa, kaempferia galangal, sweet gourd (momordica cochinchinensis), gynostemma pentaphyllum, leonurus heterophyllus, desmodium styracifolium, anise, cinnamon, citronella grass, amomum longiliqulare, artemisia annua, job’s tears and 3 imported species: atractylodes rhizome, angelica dahurica and rehmannia glutinosa, on an area of about 4,600 ha. To prioritize the development of morinda officinalis, momordica cochinchinensis and rehmannia glutinosa; to maintain and sustainably exploit cinnamon and anise on the existing areas.

d/ The Red river delta region: Hanoi, Hung Yen, Vinh Phuc, Hai Duong, Nam Dong and Thai Binh.

To develop the cultivation of 20 species of medicinal plants, including 12 aboriginal species: chrysanthemum, phyllanthus amarus schum et thonn, kaempferia galangal, polyscias fruticosa, sweet gourd (momordica cochinchinensis), sophora japonica L., yam (dioscorea persimilis tuber,), ocimum gratissimum, orthosiphon aristatus, leonurus heterophyllus and artemisia annua, and 8 imported species: mentha arvenis L., angelica dahurica, atractylodes rhizome, platycodon grandiflomm, rehmannia glutinosa, angelica sinensis, achyranthes aspera and alisma plantago-aquatica, on an area of about 6,400 ha. To prioritize the development of achyranthes aspera, mentha arvensis L., sophora japonica L. and artemisia annua.

dd/ The northern Central region: Thanh Hoa and Nghe An

To develop the cultivation of species of medicinal plants, including aboriginal species: morinda officinalis, phyllanthus amarus schum et thonn, polyscias fruticosa, yam (dioscorea persimilis tuber), sophora japonica L., ocimum gratissimum, leonurus heterophyllus, curcuma longa L., cinnamon, and citronella grass, on an area of about 3,300 ha. To prioritize the development of sophora japonica L. and polyscias fruticosa.

e/ The southern central region: Quang Nam and Khanh Hoa

To develop cultivation of 10 species of medicinal plants, including aboriginal species: hibiscus, phyllanthus amarus schum et thonn, catharanthus roseus, hyacinth bean (Lablab purpureus L.) yam (dioscorea persimilis tuber), curcuma longa L., cinnamon, orthosiphon aristatus, tavoy cardamom and panax vietnamensis, on an area of about 3,200 ha. To prioritize the development of hibiscus, catharanthus roseus, tavoy cardamom and Panax vietnamensis.

g/ The Central Highlands region: Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, Dak Lak and Dak Nong.

To develop cultivation of 10 species of medicinal plants, including aboriginal species: sweet gourd (momordica cochinchinensis), ginger, ocimum gratissimum, radix codonopsis, curcuma longa L., tavoy cardamom, citronella grass, panax vietnamensis, crinum latifolium, and job’s tears on an area of about 2,000 ha. To prioritize the development of radix codonopsis and panax vietnamensis.

h/ The western and eastern southern region: An Giang, Dong Thap, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Long An, Tien Giang, Ba Ria- Vung Tau, Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai and Tay Ninh.

To develop the cultivation of 10 medicinal plant species, including the aboriginal species: ginger, Crinum latifolium, curcuma longa L., morinda citrifolia L., bacopa monnieri, preuderantherum palaliFerum radlk, melaleuca, and rographis paniculata, orthosiphon aristatus and desfigedium styracifolium on an area of about 3,000 ha. To prioritize the development of melaleuca, andrographis paniculata and crinum latifolium.

3.    To develop sources of medicinal plant strains

a/ To study measures to restore, acclimatize, and import medicinal plant species. To step up the research into and application of scientific and technical advances in order to select and create medicinal plant strains of high yield and high quality, meeting the medicinal plant production requirements.

b/ To produce medicinal plant strains for production:

-        Aboriginal medicinal plant strains: To attach importance to developing 28 aboriginal strains, including radix morindae, passiflora foetida, hibiscus, ampelopsis cantoniensis, chrysanthemum, radix codonopsis, hyacinth bean, kaempferia galangal, phyllanthus amarus schum et thonn, polyscias fruticosa, catharanthus roseus, sweet gourd, ginger, sophora japonica L., yam, ocimum gratissimum, leonurus heterophyllus, desmodium styracifolium, broad-leaved plantain, curcuma longa L. cinnamon, orthosiphon aristatus, tavoy cardamom, panax vietnamensis, gartemisia annua, crinum latifolium, teasel and job’s tears.

-                    Imported medicinal plant strains: To concentrate on producing 16 imported medicinal plant strains in order to create domestic medicinal plant sources, which include artichoke, angelica dahurica, atractylodes rhizome, mentha arvensis L., platycodon grandiflorum, rehmannia glutinosa libosch, radix angelicae, angelica sinensis, phellodendri amurensis, saussurea lappa clarke, achyranthes aspera, false gingsen (panax pseudo-ginseng), alismaplantago-aquatica, ligusticum wallichii, eucommia ulmoides and aconitum fortunei.

c/ To build the National Medicinal Plant Gene and Medicinal Plant Research Center based at the Pharmaceutical Institute of the Health Ministry for research into, selection, creation and supply of high-quality medicinal plant strains to meet market demands.

4.    To plan a system of medicinal plant preliminary processing, processing, extraction and preservation establishments

a/ To upgrade and comprehensively renovate the infrastructure, renew technology and equipment of medicinal plant preliminary processing, processing, extraction and preservation establishments. To invest in building a number of modem and synchronous establishments in order to ensure that each region has at least one medicinal plant preliminary processing, processing, extraction and -preservation establishment up to set standards.

b/ To develop a system of medicinal plant processing and extraction factories, concentrating on the following 5 leading product groups:

-      Production of materials for pharmaceutical,

cosmetic, flavor and functional food industries and for export.

- Production of extraction products: standard extract, material powder, essential oils, and pure active substances. To apply new technologies such as liquefied gas-operated extraction, ultrasonic extraction.

- Processing of traditional drugs for medical examination and treatment by traditional medicine.

- Production of medicines from medicinal plants for medical examination and treatment.

- Research into the development of some medicines from medicinal plants that can prevent and fight cancer, and medicines for treatment of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes.

5. To consolidate and build the medicinal plant circulation and supply system

To reorganize and rearrange the medicinal plant circulation and supply system from the central to local levels with the application of the good storage practice good distribution practice and good pharmacy practice (GSP, GDP and GPP) principles and standards with regard to medicinal plants. By 2020, to build 3 medicinal plant trading and supply centers for control of medicinal plant origin and quality in the North, Center and South.

IV. KEY SOLUTIONS

1.    Group of medicinal plant development mechanism and policy solutions

a/ To formulate land, tax and capital source mechanisms and policies, creating conditions for localities, enterprises and people to participate in medicinal plant preservation and development. To build and develop concentrated medicinal plant cultivation zones under the GACP-WHO principles and standards with regard to medicinal plant species in the master plan, in close association with policies to support product sale in order to protect the interests of medicinal plant cultivators.

b/ To focus on reviewing, amending, supplementing and promulgating legal documents, norms and national standards and technical regulations, incrementally completing the system of legal documents on management of medicinal plants;

c/ To formulate policies on priorities in the production, registration and circulation of medicinal plants and their products, meeting the practical requirements and conforming with current regulations, creating a favorable environment for enterprises to invest in production and business, promoting consumption markets for Vietnamese eastern medicines and medicinal plant drugs. To prioritize the use of eastern medicines and home-made medicinal plant drugs at public medical establishments; in bidding for procurement of medicines with state budget funds, health insurance funds, and in national health programs;

d/ To formulate and promulgate mechanisms and policies to encourage science and technology organizations, enterprises and individuals to invest in research into, transfer, receipt, mastering and application of technologies to the production of medicinal plant materials for medicine production;

dd/ To formulate incentive mechanism and policies for marketing activities, trade promotion and advertisement of brands of Vietnamese medicinal plant products;

e/ To review lists of medicinal plants, alga, mushrooms, marine creatures, micro-organisms, animals and minerals for medicine production; to promulgate lists of medicinal plants banned from exploitation or restricted from exploitation for commercial purpose in order to attainably protect domestic medicinal plant resources;

g/ To assign a focal management agency and divide specific responsibilities among ministries, sectors and localities for medicinal plants.

2.    Group of investment and financial solutions

a/ To prioritize investment in research into, selection, creation and production of medicinal plant varieties for large-scale medicinal plant cultivation and development; to invest in the preservation, protection and regeneration of medicinal plants. To invest in the construction of physical and technical bases for research activities in key medicinal plant cultivation zones. To invest non-business science funds for appropriate-medicinal plant research units;

b/ To invest in the construction or upgrading of key works:

- To improve physical and technical facilities for research institutions to develop medicinal plant varieties, universities and vocational schools toward synchronism and modernization.

- To upgrade establishments engaged in medicinal plant extraction, medicinal plant material production, research into the production of preparations in various forms by advanced and modern technologies, contributing to the creation of materials as import substitutes for the production of curative medicines.

- To invest in the construction of a number of synchronous and modern medicinal plant genetic resource and strain research centers for research and development of new products of high scientific contents and added value, concentrating on the development of national products from medicinal plants, and a number of establishments producing medicines and products from medicinal plants with modern preparation technologies. To invest in the construction of 5 new national medicinal plant gardens to preserve and develop medicinal plant genes and strains.

3.    Group of scientific and technological solutions

a/ To step up the application of advanced and modern technologies to strain research selection and creation and of cultivation techniques to achieve high-yield and high quality medicinal plants, and to the preliminary processing and extraction of medicinal plants; aiming to create products of high quality, low cost and high competitiveness in the market to meet domestic consumption and export demands. To apply clean, environment-friendly and non-polluting technologies.

b/ To import advanced medicinal plant genes and varieties, absorbing new scientific and technological achievements in the world for medicinal plant development;

c/ To select, research and inherit medicinal herb prescriptions and use within ethnic communities;

d/ To apply scientific research result actively transfer technologies, technical advances and new and advanced equipment lines for extraction of medicinal plant extracts up to set standards, refinery of medicinal plant products into raw materials for use in pharmaceutical industry and other sectors;

dd/ To develop and raise capacity for scientific and technological research into medicine preparation, and bio-technology for the production of new medicines. To step up the application of information technology to management and administration work, from the stage of cultivation and exploitation to the stage of processing and use of medicinal plants in medicine production, medical examination and treatment, and in other sectors (production of supplements, cosmetics, extraction industry);

e/ To invest in the construction of a system of medicinal plant gene and strain research centers for preservation and exploitation of genetic resources, development of strains and cultivation techniques.

4.    Group of human resource training and development solutions

a/ To attach importance to the training of human resources for medicinal plant work, adopt policies to attract and promote human resources with experience and knowledge in medicinal plant cultivation, exploitation, processing and use;

b/ To train and reasonably employ pharmaceutical personnel, apply the mode of nomination-based recruitment and on-demand training in order to resolve the pharmaceutical human resource imbalance between regions, paying attention to ensuring adequate personnel for concentrated medicinal plant zones and medicinal plant development projects. To intensify the training and development of human resources for natural resource investigation, research and management;

c/ To step up communication and education with a view to raising the community’s awareness of the preservation, exploitation and sustainable use of natural resources and environmental protection.

5.    Group of international-cooperation solutions

a/ To intensify international cooperation so as to step up the preservation, exploitation and sustainable use of medicinal plant-resources and the preservation of biodiversity. To carry out cooperation in scientific research and experience sharing, attracting investment in science and technology development in the field of medicinal plants; to research, apply, and receive the transfer of, advanced technologies suitable to the Vietnamese conditions and friendly to the environment in order to create breakthroughs in medicinal plant development and create products of high therapy value and competitiveness in the market.

b/ To cooperate in human resource training in countries which are strong in the cultivation, processing and creation of medicinal plant genetic and strain resources, aiming: To absorb and apply scientific advances of the world.

c/ To expand joint-venture and association activities with foreign organizations and individuals for investment in the development of medicinal plants and their products.

V. IMPLEMENTATION ROADMAP.

1. The period up to 2015:

- To formulate and complete the institutions on state management of medicinal. To attach importance to formulating and promulgating mechanisms and policies facilitate development of key medicinal zones.

To implement investment incentive- eligible programs and projects.

2. The 2015-2020 period:

- To further supplement and complete legal documents on state management.

- To investigate and establish databases on the potential and current situation of various species of mushroom, alga, animals, marine creatures, micro-organisms and minerals used for medicine production.

- To build and develop strong medicinal plants and pharmaceutical product-producing and -training enterprises to meet domestic consumption and export demand.

3. The 2020-2030 period:

- To supplement the master plan on sources of mushrooms, alga, animals, marine creatures, micro-organisms and minerals used for medicine production for exploitation and sustainable development.

- To further develop the potential and advantages of Vietnamese medicinal plants to serve the people’s health care and protection and socio- economic development.

VI. INVESTMENT INCENTIVE-ELIGIBLE PROJECTS FOR MEDICINAL PLANT DEVELOPMENT

To give priority to the implementation of investment incentive-eligible projects in the master plan on medicinal plant development through 2020, with orientations toward 2030 (Appendix III).

Article 2.Organization of implementation.

1.    The Ministry of Health shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, other ministries, sectors and localities in, formulating master plans and detailed plans for effective and scheduled implementation of the master plan;

b/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with other ministries and sectors in, formulating and submitting to competent authorities for promulgation, or promulgate according to its competence mechanisms and policies, aiming to socialize the work of medicinal plant development;

c/ Apply measures to preserve medicinal plant gene sources, work out solutions for the rational exploitation and sustainable use of medicinal plant resources, build a system of medicinal plant research and development units; to strengthen and enhance capacity for pharmaceutical industry, attaching importance to the development of products from medicinal plants; to expand and consolidate the medicinal plant and medicinal plant product circulation and supply system in order to meet the requirements of people’s health care and protection;

d/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Science and Technology in, formulating key scientific and technological programs for research into medicinal plant development;

dd/ Propose the Prime Minister to set up a National Steering Committee for implementation of the master plan on medicinal plant development, aiming to build capacity for inter-sectoral coordination for the efficient implementation of this master plan.

e/ Direct, inspect, supervise and annual report to the Prime Minister on the results of implementation of this master plan.

2.    The Ministry of Planning and Investment shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Health in, considering and allocating development investment capital from the state budget, based on the state budget capital-balancing capacity, and mobilizing official development assistance (ODA) sources and other lawful capital sources for implementation of the master plan.

b/ Review, amend and supplement the system of legal documents related to investment and investment incentives, creating a favorable investment environment for medicinal plant development.

3.    The Ministry of Finance shall

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Planning and Investment and the Ministry of Health in, considering and allocating regular funds, based on the state budget balance capacity, for the implementation of the master plan as decentralized under the State Budget Law;

b/ Direct the General Department of Customs to strengthen management and supervision of medicinal plant export and import, and coordinate with the Border Guard and Market Management forces in preventing medicinal plant smuggling.

4.    The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development shall:

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health in, performing the scientific and technological tasks in strain selection and creation, and medicinal plant cultivation and collection;

b/ Research and popularize the medicinal plant cultivation and tending, prevention and combat.

5.    The Ministry of Industry and Trade shall

a/ Assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health in, managing the trading, export and import of medicinal plants used in the production of foods, supplements, cosmetics, essential oils and flavors, and in the pharmachemical industry.

b/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Health in investigating and surveying medicinal plant sources for pharmachemical production, integrating different programs for medicinal plant research and development.

6.    The Ministry of Science and Technology shall:

a/ Give priority to the performance of the scientific and technological tasks to serve the development of medicinal plants and their products;

b/ Increase investment in developing scientific and technological potential for science and technology organizations, aiming for medicinal plant development; facilitate the implementation of the contents on intellectual property and registration of innovations related to genetic resources, protection of traditional knowledge and quality standards related to medicinal plants and their products;

c/ Coordinate with the Ministry of Health in formulating and efficiently implementing key scientific and technological programs on research into medicinal plant development in order to boost medicinal plant development.

7.    The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment shall assume the prime  responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and localities in, reviewing the plans on land use, land allocation and lease, facilitating the realization of the objectives and tasks set out in the master plan, and conforming with current regulations; assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with concerned ministries and sectors in, advising the Government on promulgating regulations on management of the access to genetic resources, and on equal and rational sharing of benefits from the use of medicinal plant genetic resources.

8.    The Ministry of Education and Training shall assume the prime responsibility for, and coordinate with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs in, formulating training programs and opening suitable training disciplines in order to meet the requirement of human resources for medicinal plant development.

9.    Provincial-level People’s Committees shall:

a/ Direct the thorough study and effective implementation of the contents and tasks of the master plan in the areas under their respective management;

b/ Based on the capacity to balance local budget funds, allocate funds for implementation of the master plan as decentralized in the State Budget Law; formulate mechanisms and investment policies to attract resources for medicinal plant development, paying special attention to key medicinal plant zones;

c/ Based on their local characteristics and situation, draw up plans for timely implementation of schemes and projects identified in the master plan; arrange appropriate land funds for cultivation and development of local advantageous medicinal plant species;

d/ Intensify communication, raise public awareness, and mobilize people to protect medicinal plant resources; guide the rational harvest of medicinal plants in couple with the regeneration, development and cultivation of new medicinal plants, and the popularization of experience in using medicinal plants as medicine for the people’s health care and protection;

dd/ Create favorable conditions for the eastern medicine associations at all levels and local medicinal plant associations to operate and develop, thus positively contributing to the people’s health care and protection;

e/ Implement investment incentive-eligible programs and projects;

g/ Direct, inspect and supervise the implementation of this master plan in the areas under their respective management annually send reports to the Ministry of Health for summarization and reporting to the Prime Minister on the results of implementation o this master plan.

Article 3.This Decision takes effect on the date of its signing.

Article 4.Ministers, heads of ministerial! level agencies, heads of government-attached agencies and chairpersons of provincial-level People’s Committees shall implement thi1 Decision.-

For the Prime Minister

Deputy Prime Minister

NGUYEN THIEN NHAN

* All appendices to this Decision are n translated.