Medicines of unidentified origin are being traded publicly in markets in the mountainous provinces of Lao Cai's Bac Ha and Si Ma Cai districts. The vendors are mostly ethnic minority people without any license for drug trading. Bac Ha District's General Hospital has reportedly seen many cases of poisoning from such medicines. Local authorities have set up a team of healthcare personnel, border guards and market inspectors to monitor the situation. (Vietnam News Oct 18)
