REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, SURABAYA -- Some 250 hospitals in Indonesia are preparing to introduce traditional and herbal treatments as an alternative to modern medical therapies, a Health Ministry official said.

"The traditional treatment has been developed in stages. One of the hospitals that have developed it is RSUD Soetomo in Surabaya," the ministry's director of traditional, alternative and complementary medical treatment development, Dedi Kuswenda, said.

Speaking at an international symposium on TradCAM" (traditional complementary and alternative medicine) here on Saturday, he said traditional treatment is taught at institutes of higher learning, including the Surabaya-based Airlangga University (Unair).

"In fact, acupuncture treatment is also being developed there," he said.