Madam Ngo Phuong Ly, spouse of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam, and Madam Caroline Parmelin, spouse of Swiss President Guy Parmelin, visited Hanoi University of Pharmacy on October 17 afternoon as part of the Swiss couple’s official visit to Vietnam.
They learned about the university’s history, the values of traditional medicine and Vietnam’s rich medicinal plant resources.
The visit took place as Vietnam and Switzerland are celebrating the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations (1971 – 2026), contributing to friendship, mutual understanding and cultural exchanges between the people of the two countries.
Hanoi University of Pharmacy holds special significance in bilateral relations as it is closely associated with Alexandre Yersin, a French scientist of Swiss origin born in 1863 in the canton of Vaud, the homeland of President Parmelin. Yersin was the first principal of the Indochina Medical College, the predecessor of today’s Hanoi University of Pharmacy and Hanoi Medical University. He also made important contributions to the development of medicine in Vietnam.
Madam Parmelin expressed interest in Yersin’s work and scientific research in Vietnam, as well as the historical and architectural heritage preserved by the over-120-year-old university over generations.
Madam Ly shared insights into Vietnam’s longstanding tradition of using medicinal plants to promote health and introduced the diversity of indigenous medicinal resources, including Ngoc Linh ginseng, a precious Vietnamese herb. She stressed that preserving, researching and developing medicinal plant resources is important not only for public healthcare but also for creating livelihoods and improving living standards, particularly for people in mountainous areas.
The spouse of the Swiss President expressed particular interest in Vietnam’s medicinal resources, and noted similarities between the two countries in their use of herbal remedies for healthcare and their efforts to promote sustainable livelihoods for communities in mountainous areas.
Madam Ly and Madam Parmelin took part in making herbal pillows using traditional ingredients such as ginger, cinnamon, star anise, eucalyptus and cassia seeds. Madam Ly presented Madam Parmelin with a herbal pillow she had made herself, conveying her sincere affection and appreciation for the guest.
At the end of the visit, they enjoyed herbal tea and traditional Vietnamese cakes while discussing distinctive aspects of the culture, natural environment and daily life of the two nations' people.
