USAID Works to Reduce the Use of Wildlife in Traditional Medicines

In Vietnam, traditional medicines often include rhino horn, pangolin scales, and tiger bone, threatening biodiversity. In March, USAID’s Saving Threatened Wildlife project co-hosted an exhibition with Vietnam’s Ministry of Health to promote legal, safe, and sustainable plant-based substitutes. The exhibition attracted hundreds of visitors including traditional medicine practitioners to learn about the uses and benefits of plants in medicine.

Educating practitioners of traditional medicine and the public in the use of plant based resources reduces the demand for wildlife products, contributing to biodiversity conservation and environmental protection in Vietnam.