JAKARTA, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Indonesian Health Minister Endang Rahayu said the ministry has officially included traditional herbals into the medicine allowed to be prescribed by domestic physicians for their patients, the Bisnis Indonesia reported here in Thursday.

    The government also planned to set up clinics to provide medical treatments using traditional herbals.

    "Such a decision was part of efforts to preserve traditional herbals. However the usage of traditional herbals is still limited in preventive and recovery treatment efforts. It would also promote use of traditional herbals," the minister said on Tuesday.

    Indonesian Traditional Herbal Producers Association Chairman, Charles Saerang, said that the government's decision would increase the public's awareness on the efficacy of traditional herbals.

    "It was a breakthrough decision as it would change the public's mindset on traditional herbals," Charles said.

    Citing the association's data, he said that sales on traditional herbals reached 8.5 trillion rupiah (about 920.9 million U.S. dollars) last year.

    The association has set 10 trillion rupiah (about 1 billion U.S. dollars) sale target this year, he added. The government's decision to allow physicians to use traditional herbals is expected to increase herbal consumption.