New government urged to address health workers’ welfare

Questions have been raised about what a Pheu Thai-led government will do for overworked and underpaid public health workers, with some claiming that policies to address the issues were not evident during the party’s campaign for the May 14 election.

While Pheu Thai Party leader Dr Cholnan Srikaew is expected to be the new public health minister, health advocates said the party’s public health policies are a mystery, especially those regarding workers’ welfare.

Suwimol Namkanisorn of the Nurses and Nurse Assistants Union and the group Nurses Connect said members are disappointed, but they want to hold discussions with the new minister over health workers’ problems, especially labour welfare, as it is considered an emergency.

“People waiting for any health service will be affected if more workers quit the system due to poor labour welfare,” she said on Monday.

Ms Suwimol said the main issues to be discussed are working hours and wages.

She said health workers — physicians, nurses, and other hospital workers –work more than 80–100 hours a week, which affects their physical and mental health. To make matters worse, workers receive poor wages despite such hours, which leads them to quit their jobs.

“We willingly take care of people in need, but the government has to take care of our welfare as well,” said Ms Suwimol.

She also said the group suggests the ministry collect worker data, as the information will help with problem-solving as it faithfully reflects the problems workers face.