She is Nguyen Thi Thai, a woman recently honored by the Vietnam Federation of UNESCO Associations, recognizing her contributions to preserving and promoting the essence of traditional medicine.

Late in the afternoon, at a medicinal material production workshop in Bac Quang, Nguyen Thi Thai returned after a journey of nearly 100km from the center of Ha Giang. Many patients were already waiting for her inside; some traveled through the night, while others arrived in the early morning.

Born into a family with four generations of medical practice, Thai’s childhood was associated with trips following her grandmother and mother into the forest to find medicinal herbs. “Back then, my hands were always stained with the color of plant sap, and there were sleepless nights over the medicine pot. But I never felt it was a hardship,” Thai recalled.

It was the environment that nurtured her love for herbal medicine, where every leaf and root is not just a remedy, but also knowledge accumulated over many generations.

“The greatest reward is the patient's smile”

With over 20 years in the profession, herbalist Thai has not stopped at inheriting family remedies. She proactively engaged in formal studies of traditional medicine, completing her qualifications from intermediate to university levels, and interned at hospitals to meet the legal requirements for practicing.

Every day, she travels dozens of kilometers to both study and work, a journey that is not easy, but necessary to “standardize” the traditional medicine profession in a new context.

The difference in Thai’s approach lies in her mindset of combining folk experience with modern science. Instead of relying solely on word-of-mouth information, she studies pathological mechanisms to adjust the remedies. This method has brought effectiveness in treating many complex conditions such as infertility and gynecological diseases.

According to Meritorious Physician and Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Thị Duc, former President of the Ha Giang Provincial Traditional Medicine Association, herbalist Thai is a dynamic and receptive person who constantly learns to improve her expertise while actively participating in association and local activities.

Despite holding many titles, for Thai, the greatest reward is not certificates of merit, but the joy of patients after treatment.

“My joy is hearing the cries of infants in families that were once hopeless, or seeing patients recover after long battles with illness,” Thai shared.

Locally, many people refer to her as a compassionate herbalist. In many difficult cases, she provides examinations and medicine free of charge, especially for infertile patients who have sought treatment in many places.

Building a “Living medicinal warehouse” in the mountains

Not stopping at medical examination and treatment, herbalist Thai has also developed medicinal cultivation areas spanning several hectares, while collaborating with locals to breed many types of precious medicinal plants.

Her family’s traditional medicinal production workshop is likened to a “living traditional medicine warehouse” in the middle of the great forest, a place that preserves and develops the genetic resources of indigenous medicinal materials. Notably, the processing of medicinal materials here has been gradually standardized according to international standards, showing efforts to bring Vietnamese traditional medicine closer to the strict requirements of the modern market.

The model Thai aims for is a combination of “clean medicinal materials - modern management - human compassion,” in which the human element remains the center.

In the heart of the forest, Thai’s journey is not only about curing diseases but also an effort to preserve a part of ethnic cultural identity, where indigenous knowledge is continued, developed, and spread.

Ha Nguyen