Abstract

• This paper attempts to study the historical background of traditional medicines in Myanmar. Myanmar traditional medicine is a heritage with historical past. There are four types of Myanmar traditional medical science. Myanmar traditional physicians have used Abhidhama and Ayurveda medical treatment methods to cure their patients. So, Myanmar traditional medicine is based on Abhidhama and Ayurvedic concepts. During the Konbaung period (1752-1885), many foreign medical treatises could be translated into Myanmar and some traditional physicians could have invented a sort of medical science based on the concepts of the Abhidhama and Ayurvedic. At that time, although Myanmar traditional physicians were not oriented by academically qualified Ayurvedic physicians, their traditional practice of medicine passed from one generation to another. In 1976, Myanmar Institute of traditional Medicine was opened in Mandalay to be able to produce well- qualified graduated traditional physicians. Now, with the government’s encouragement for development of Myanmar traditional medicine, Myanmar traditional medicine is wide and deep. In this paper, in order to give a reasonably clear picture of the progress of traditional medical science in Myanmar, I would like to present my paper under the following four main points: (1) historical evolution of the Myanmar traditional medicine, (II) human resource development of traditional medicine, (III) National laws and policies and, (IV) future prospects of traditional Myanmar medicines.