Cholnan Srikaew, acting in his capacity as Thailand’s Public Health Minister, has cautiously unveiled the government’s intention to trial a groundbreaking approach to the nationally funded universal healthcare (UC) programme. This proposal, devised through comprehensive strategy planning and discussions with sector experts, enables UC members to exercise unparalleled flexibility in their choice of healthcare provider.
More specifically, UC members will soon have the option to utilise their healthcare coverage at any eligible hospital across the nation. Prior to the nationwide roll-out of this innovative approach, the scheme will first be tested within a select few health zones, areas already well equipped to facilitate this shift in operational structure and resources.
A total of 13 formal health zones exist in Thailand, a figure that includes the bustling capital city, Bangkok. These zones are essentially grouped provinces, thus ensuring a broad, comprehensive demographic reach. The final call on which zones will pilot the programme lies with the health permanent secretary, a decision that will invariably be made with great care and foresight, as indicated by Cholnan, who also heads the governing Pheu Thai Party.
The Minister offered clarifying remarks on the proposed scheme, stating plainly, “We’ll carefully monitor and evaluate the ongoing progress of this scheme”. He continued, “We’ll ensure that any potential issues are accounted for and rectified before the scheme is rolled out nationwide. By simply presenting their official identification card, people can receive medical care at any hospital under this programme.”
Not only does this scheme seek to ensure more broad-based and efficient healthcare delivery, but it also aims to digitize the entire country’s health service provision systems, thereby significantly improving access and helping to alleviate the long-standing issue of hospital overcrowding.
The scheme is likely to make its debut in the 8th health zone, an area comprising seven provinces, including Udon Thani, Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom, Loei, Nong Khai, Nong Bua Lamphu and Bung Kan provinces. This zone alone boasts a colossal 88 hospitals under the ministry’s supervision. Notably, the progress towards digital health service provision has already begun, with health records steadily being migrated to a cloud-based system.’
Furthermore, Cholnan also expressed the ministry’s plans to prioritise the nation’s cervical cancer vaccination programme, specifically targeting girls in the age bracket of 11–20 years. This decision is no doubt influenced by the startling statistic that annually, over 6,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer in the country, tragically leading to an estimated 2,000 deaths every year. Therefore, the ministry has set the ambitious yet essential target of providing at least a million doses within a 100-day timeframe, making the vaccine accessible to girls in and outside the formal education system.
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