For thousands of years, Vietnamese medicine has drawn its strength not only from remedies and medicinal herbs, but also from compassion, gratitude to earlier generations, and the enduring aspiration to heal the sick and save lives. In Bac Lung, Bac Ninh - a region rich in cultural and historical traditions - one practitioner has devoted his youth, dedication, and intellect to keeping the principles and ethics of traditional medicine alive. He is Dam Thanh Toan, Vice Chairman of the Bac Ninh City Association of Traditional Medicine, a physician and traditional medicine practitioner committed to preserving the wisdom of his forebears and serving the health of the community.
Dr. and Traditional Medicine Practitioner DAM THANH TOAN
Twenty-Six Years of Perseverance: From a Family Tradition to Professional Expertise in Traditional Medicine
Born on 5 August 1979 into a family with several generations of traditional medicine practitioners, Dam Thanh Toan grew up surrounded by the warm, distinctive aromas of Vietnamese medicinal herbs and by his ancestors’ commitment to healing others. Early lessons in compassion and in the moral responsibility of a healthcare practitioner became deeply ingrained in him, guiding his professional life.
In 1998, at the age of 19, he officially joined the Association of Traditional Medicine in Luc Nam District, Bac Giang Province, beginning a career spanning more than 26 years of close involvement with the Association and the practice of traditional medicine. Recognising that family-taught knowledge provides a valuable foundation, while formal medical education enables practitioners to deepen their expertise and respond to the needs of the times, he pursued further training with sustained determination. In 1999–2000, he acquired foundational theoretical knowledge through a traditional medicine training course organised by the Hai Duong Provincial Association of Traditional Medicine. From 2001 to 2003, he undertook professional training to qualify as a traditional medicine practitioner at Tue Tinh Intermediate School of Medicine and Pharmacy in Hanoi. Between 2009 and 2011, he continued to broaden his medical knowledge at Le Huu Trac Intermediate School of Medicine and Pharmacy, also in Hanoi. Then, from 2019 to 2025, demonstrating a commitment to lifelong learning, he successfully completed a degree programme in Traditional Medicine at Hoa Binh University at an age when many people might be reluctant to embark on a new academic journey.
This nearly three-decade journey of perseverance reflects his deep sense of dedication. For Dam Thanh Toan, each new level of knowledge has been pursued not for prestige, but to strengthen his capabilities and serve patients as safely, effectively and scientifically as possible.
A Dedicated Leader and the Work of Building a Strong Professional Association
Alongside his clinical knowledge, Dam Thanh Toan has demonstrated leadership, enthusiasm, and strategic vision in the work of the Association. The strong trust placed in him by colleagues and the public has led to a succession of responsibilities within the Association of Traditional Medicine at local and provincial levels.
Beginning as Vice Chairman of the Doi Ngo Town Association of Traditional Medicine in 2012, he was subsequently entrusted with increasingly senior responsibilities in the Lục Nam District and Bac Giang Provincial associations. For two consecutive terms, from 2018 to 2028, he served as Chairman of the Luc Nam District Association of Traditional Medicine and as a member of the Standing Committee of the Bac Giang Provincial Association. A new milestone came in July 2026, at the first congress of the Bac Ninh City Association of Traditional Medicine for the 2026-2031 term, he was once again entrusted with leadership responsibilities as Vice Chairman.
The scale of his contribution becomes clearer when viewed against the Association’s position in 2013, when Lục Nam District had just 93 members and nine commune-level Association organisations. For Toan, developing the Association has never been about pursuing figures on paper. Its real purpose is to build a shared professional community in which practitioners work together, deepen their expertise and remain devoted to public health.
Guided by this understanding, he and the Executive Committee have gradually strengthened the organisation, consolidated its personnel, expanded its network and proactively advised Party committees and local authorities while building links with the grassroots healthcare system. Through these sustained efforts, the local Association has enhanced its standing and become an effective extension of the healthcare sector’s work in delivering primary healthcare to the public.
Alongside organisational development, he has remained deeply committed to preserving the spiritual and ethical heritage of traditional medicine. Ceremonial offerings of incense in honour of revered medical forebears, commemorations of the profession’s traditional day and workshops for exchanging knowledge about effective remedies and valuable medicinal plants have all continued under his stewardship. These activities strengthen collegial bonds and provide opportunities for generations of practitioners to pass on their knowledge, ensuring that the spirit of the profession endures.
Bringing Traditional Medicine into Modern Life: The Aspiration Behind the “Duc Toan” Name
Beyond his leadership role in the Association, Dam Thanh Toan has been driven by a longstanding aspiration: to make traditional family remedies and valuable Vietnamese medicinal formulations more widely accessible and convenient for people in modern life. He understands that preserving and developing traditional medicine sustainably requires progress in both scale and standards of professional ethics and clinical practice.
Two major milestones mark his efforts to turn this aspiration into reality. From 2016 to 2018, he laid the foundation by establishing the Duc Toan Traditional Medicine Specialty Clinic, located in An Phu Hamlet, Bac Lung Commune, Bac Ninh City. There, he provides care using traditional medicine approaches to clinical assessment and treatment. The clinic is also intended to be a place where patients can seek care with confidence and experience the compassion captured in the Vietnamese saying, “A good physician cares for patients as a mother cares for her children”. In 2018, this vision expanded with the establishment of Đuc Toan Traditional Herbal Medicine Company Limited, bringing together the principles of traditional medicine with more standardised and modern preparation and manufacturing processes. Under his leadership, the company has researched and developed five core health-support product lines, drawing on traditional Vietnamese therapeutic approaches: Nam Kidney Support: Traditionally positioned to support kidney health, vitality, and male wellbeing; An Kinh Blood Nourishment: Traditionally positioned to nourish the blood, support menstrual regulation, and promote women’s wellbeing; Stomach and Colon: Formulated around traditional approaches intended to support digestive health; Liver Detoxification: Based on traditional concepts of clearing heat and dampness and supporting liver health in the context of modern lifestyles; Rheumatism and Musculoskeletal Support: Based on traditional approaches to dispelling wind and dampness and promoting the flow of qi and blood, with the aim of supporting joint mobility and flexibility.
For Dam Thanh Toan, investing his efforts in a clinic and a medicinal-herb preparation facility is not simply a commercial undertaking. It represents a serious, long-term commitment to improving the quality of traditional medical practice and creating a professional environment in which the next generation can continue the family tradition. Above all, it reflects his mission to bring traditional medicine into everyday households and help protect public health at its roots.
A Beacon of Compassion and Ambition for the Future
After more than a quarter-century in traditional medicine, physician and traditional medicine practitioner Đàm Thanh Toàn has established himself as a dedicated professional: compassionate towards the suffering of patients, equipped with expertise developed through years of study and practice, and guided by a strategic vision for the sustainable development of both the Association and his business.
Through his sustained dedication and tireless efforts, Dam Thanh Toan received a Certificate of Commendation from the Bac Giang Provincial Association of Traditional Medicine in 2013, followed by a Certificate of Merit from the Vietnam Association of Traditional Medicine in 2014, as well as commendations from various levels of local government.
His contributions have helped preserve and promote Vietnam’s traditional medical heritage while reinforcing the humane ideal that a good physician should care for patients as a mother cares for her children. In the Luc Nam region, he stands as an inspiring example of a practitioner who quietly sows the seeds of health, bringing comfort and smiles to many families. His work reflects a deep commitment to carrying traditional medicine forward and serving the community.
By Pham Thuy
