PUBLISHED : 2 Oct 2023 at 04:30
Don Muang will be the first district in the capital to get a new hospital under the “50 districts, 50 hospitals” initiative, one of the 13 programmes announced by Public Health Minister Cholnan Srikaew upon assuming the post.
Dr Cholnan said authorities will now select a site with an existing building that could be converted into a 120-bed hospital, complete with primary care facilities and emergency rooms.
“In the next 100 days, we will prepare the building which will ultimately be converted into a hospital. Other districts can start the process once they are ready,” he said.
When asked where the government will find the staff to work at the hospital when it is completed, Dr Cholnan said staff will initially be sourced from within the Public Health Ministry’s ranks.
Ultimately, Dr Cholnan said he would like to see district hospitals operate as a public organisation, similar to Ban Phaeo Hospital in Samut Sakhon.
The permanent secretary for health, Opas Karnkawinpong, has been asked to form 13 sub-committees to oversee each programme, including the “50 districts, 50 hospitals” policy.