Traditional medicine doctor Nguyen Thai Ha – the “golden needle” in acupuncture

Having developed his family's traditional methods for more than 40 years, traditional medicine doctor Nguyen Thai Ha has contributed greatly to the development of Vietnam's traditional medicine industry, making his mark in the public health care field with the Sao Phuong Dong (Oriental Star) Healthcare system. He is now the head of the Vietnam Institute for Applied Research of Traditional Medicine and Nursing Service and President of the Sao Phuong Dong Healthcare system.

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He grew up in a family with a medical tradition, and is the 14th great grandchild of Nguyen Quy Cong, a prestigious doctor serving during the Le Dynasty. His farther, Dr. Nguyen Van Kim is also well known for his medical expertise and acupuncture. Over the past 400 years, his family has preserved several ancient medical documents, most prominently the Complete Works on Acupuncture of the Family of Tu (revised by the Imperial Medical Bureau of the Le Dynasty, in original Han script, from the 17th century).

Over the past 10 years, Doctor Nguyen Thai Ha and Sao Phuong Dong Healthcare system have cooperated with Associate Professor Phan Toan Thang, an expert on stem cell technology in Singapore, to initially apply Japanese-produced stem cell nutrients in hydro-acupuncture to cure several ailments (dysfunction, early-stage physical damage, body rejuvenation).

Dr. Nguyen Thai Ha was emotional when telling me about his medical journey when he was very young. In 1975, after returning from the B2 battlefield, Nguyen Thai Ha suffered from severely damaged lungs and malaria. He only weighed 39kg and was unable to work according to doctors. His father, healer Nguyen Van Kim (1915-1995) helped him gradually recover using traditional medicine and acupuncture.

While he was recovering, Ha learned yoga from Dr. Nguyen Khac Vien (Director of the Foreign Literature Publishing House) and has practiced it continually. Sometimes he practices zen yoga for six straight hours and his mind, soul, and strength are all significantly improved. Getting over the deadly ailment inspired him to study and practice medicine. Nguyen Thai Ha learned the ins and outs of traditional medication from his father. Several years later, without his father’s permission, he often practiced on his friends with the urge to test his skills.

In August 1983, he cured 29-year-old Nguyen Van Trung at No. 03 Tran Phu, Hanoi. Trung suffered from a completely discolored optic papillae and vitreous hemorrhage which had not been fixed after two surgeries. After only 9 days of receiving acupuncture treatment by Ha, he was able to read newspapers (visual acuity: 8/10), which surprised many people. Vietnam Pictorial also published an article about this at that time.


Traditional medicine doctor and researcher Nguyen Thai Ha has 40 years of experience in healing using medication and acupuncture.


With his acupuncture needles, doctor Nguyen Thai Ha has repeatedly cured patients using traditional medicine.


Doctor Nguyen Thai Ha uses acupuncture methods to treat diseases related to spinal nerves with manually adjusted, non-medicine, non-surgical techniques.


He is considered the “golden needle” in acupuncture for his treatment of depression and digestive disorders.


Continuing the medical tradition of his prestigious lineage, doctor Nguyen Thai Ha often directly prescribes medicines for patients at Sao Phuong Dong healthcare system.


He talked about his work with young colleagues at Sao Phuong Dong healthcare system.


Dr. Nguyen Thai Ha and some young doctors and scientists who are devoted to traditional medicine jointly form Sao Phuong Dong’s Acupuncture and Parapsychology Research Group. This is one of the first private traditional medicine establishments in Vietnam that invest heavily in facilities as well as human resources.


Father and son Nguyen Thai Ha and MMed Nguyen Thai Bao are passionate about the treatment using traditional medicine. Photo: Files


In August 1983, he cured 29-year-old Nguyen Van Trung at No. 03 Tran Phu, Hanoi. Trung suffered from completely discolored optic papillae and vitreous hemorrhage which had not been improved after two surgeries. After only 9 days of receiving acupuncture treatment by Nguyen Thai Ha, he was able to read newspapers (visual acuity: 8/10). Photo: Files

In early 1983, Dr. Ha gathered a number of young doctors and scientists dedicated to traditional medicine to form the Sao Phuong Dong’s Acupuncture and Parapsychology Research Group. Members of the group can speak five languages: Vietnamese, English, Russian, French, and Chinese, which helps the group translate many valuable documents about acupuncture, and from that organizes the compilation of books. Dr. Ha had the opportunity to directly learn a lot of theoretical issues about oriental medicine from Dr. Hoang Bao Chau, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Traditional Medicine, and Dr. Tran Thuy, former Deputy Director of the Institute of Traditional Medicine of Vietnam.

At the end of 1984, he was honored to co-author, with Dr. Hoang Bao Chau, in the write-up about the field of acupuncture in the Knowledge Encyclopedia published by the Vietnam Institute of Lexicography and Encyclopedia. In September 1990, Sao Phuong Dong collaborated with the Military Medical Department of the General Political Bureau (Ministry of Defense) to pen the Simplified Acupuncture book and a set of illustrations about acupuncture points, which was published in five languages including Vietnamese, English, Russian, French, and German by the Military Publishing House.

This was the first milestone in the development of Sao Phuong Dong that Dr. Ha had set up. After only 2 years, 1990 – 1992, the book “Simplified Acupuncture” made a publishing record with 20 thousand copies. In the 1990s, Sao Phuong Dong Healthcare Facility became a bright example for traditional medicine in modern society with the orientation of integrating Eastern and Western medicine. This is one of the first private traditional medicine establishments in Vietnam to be invested heavily with facilities as well as human resources.

With the slogan “Cooperation and sharing”, Sao Phuong Dong has cooperated with many central pharmaceutical factories to produce several products of natural origin, typically a joint venture with Military Medical Academy 103, Geriatric Institute, and Center of Soil and Fertilizers to produce the Phylamin drug. This is the first time that there are products supporting cancer treatment that originated from Vietnamese traditional medication.

In June 1992, under the professional direction of People’s Teacher, Professor Tran Thuy, a group of oriental medicine doctors in the Department of Traditional Medicine, Hanoi Medical University cooperated with Dr. Ha to establish Sao Phuong Dong Traditional Medicine establishment at 109 Tran Hung Dao, Hanoi. Over the years, tens of thousands of patients with many severe diseases like asthma, cerebro-vascular accidents, polyarthritis and a number of diseases related to the five senses and internal organs, have been cured or improved markedly.

In 2002, Sao Phuong Dong collaborated with the Faculty of Traditional Medicine, at the Hanoi Medical University, to publish the book “Acupuncture Synthesis” from the Medical Publishing House based on the previous book “Simplified Acupuncture”. Later, in 2015, the book was reprinted with several new contents. In the introduction, Dr. Pham Vu Khanh, Director General of Traditional Medicine and Pharmacy Administration (Ministry of Health) wrote “’Acupuncture Synthesis’ is a book of highly practical value, a guideline for oriental medicine doctors, especially grassroots medical practitioners…”

Doctor Ha has also launched many international cooperation programs, including cooperating with well-known physician Seo Hyo Seok, Director of Korean Pyunkang Oriental Medicine Institute to organize the International Seminar “Pyunkang pioneers the avenue of global biopharmaceutical technology,” attracting the participation of many leading Vietnamese medical practitioners. By the end of the twentieth century stem cell technology had developed into a new medical discipline.

Dr. Ha has also succeeded in the treatment of several ailments including spinal manipulation and the treatment of diseases related to spinal nerves with manually adjusted, non-medicine, non-surgical techniques. He is the “golden needle” in acupuncture treatment to cure depression, digestive disorders, and several others.

Recently, as the Director of the Vietnam Institute for Applied Research of Traditional Medicine and Nursing Service, Dr. Ha collaborated with the Vietnam Traditional Medicine Association to implement the project of High-tech Nam Tue Tinh Traditional Medicine Garden. The project was initially implemented in Bac Giang and Tien Giang with the aim of contributing to the restoration of many valuable medicinal plants in Vietnam.

Every day, Dr. Ha spends a lot of time on medical examination and treatment at Sao Phuong Dong and participates in many charity health care activities for ethnic minority people in mountainous areas. For him, seeing the patients get better and their suffering lessen is always the healer’s joy./.

Story: Bich Van Photos: Viet Cuong & Files