In November 1999, the Pharmaceutical and Medical Materials Enterprise was equitised and changed to the Pharmaceutical Share-holding Company (TRAPHACO), becoming the first equitised pharmaceutical unit in Northern Vietnam. All members of the Company’s Management Board, its Directors’ Board and leaders of the departments and sections are women.

Thuan added that more than 70% of the Company’s employees are women. They do well in all fields, i.e. production, management work and scientific research. Much of their research has been applied to production, which turned out valuable products.

In the past, Vietnamese physicians used to pick the herbal plants’ roots, trunks and leaves, dry and process them into materials for making medicines, which are steamed in an earthen pot to get the liquor, or ground down to a powder and mixed with honey and made into pills. When treated with these medicines, the patients recover slowly, not to count to the fact that the medicines are preserved with difficulty. To solve this problem, M.A Vu Thi Thuan, senior physician Pham Thi Phuong, Associate Professor-Doctor Ngo Kieu Nhi, together with other technicians of the Company, have spent time to research and put an industrial production line to manufacture medicines in various forms, including pills, sugar-coated tablets, capsules, and specific ointment and syrup. TRAPHACO products are manufactured with state-of-the-art technologies, yet they are still preserved with traditional identities. Hence, these products are easy to use with more effective treatment, but they have no side effects. In addition, it takes fewer materials to make them and the prices are reasonable. This makes the consumers more confident of TRAPHACO products.nbsp;

In early 2004, TRAPHACO coordinated with Lao Cai Province to establish TRAPHACO Sapa Limited Company. It carried out research and built up an area to grow medicinal herbs, and now supplies materials to the Hoang Liet Oriental Medicine Plant in Hanoi. The plant is equipped with modern production lines of international standards and with an investment of VND 60 billion, the biggest in Northern Vietnam to date. In the near future, the Company will build another plant in Hung Yen Province. This will help promoting TRAPHACO’s production and enhancing its products’ quality.

Only five years after being equitalised, TRAPHACO has gained notable achievements. The Company’s labour force annually increases 10% and an annual turnover of nearly VND 200 billion, of which the exports account for a considerable amount. Its annual growth rate is 25-35%, and the workers’ average income increases 10-15% per annum. Every year, the Company spends more than 5% of its turnover on scientific research. At present, TRAPHACO has 150 products made with domestic medicinal herbs and sold nationwide, which occupy 70% of the domestic pharmaceutical market. TRAPHACO is among the top-ten pharmaceutical manufacturers nationwide with a high turnover and profit. Its products are exported to Russia and Ukraine, and will be exported to other markets in Asia, Europe and Africa in the near future.

During my visit to TRAPHACO, we met Mr. Jansen, Chairman of the Management Board of Dafra Phama Incorporation (Belgium), who held talks with leaders of TRAPHACO to promote production and exportation of TRAPHACO products to foreign markets.

To date, TRAPHACO is the Vietnam’s biggest Oriental medicine manufacturer, whose products for years have been recognised as “Vietnamese Product of High Quality”. The Company has been awarded the “Gold Star of Vietnam” Prize and many certificates from the State, ministries and branches. TRAPHACO’s female employees made great contributions to the Company’s achievements. They have been presented “Excellent Female Unit” Award by the Vietnam Women’s Union.