Specialists say no flood at border hospitals
Concerns about the potential of the country’s public care method to control the rising problem have been uncovered by reports of an unexpected increase in the number of patients from neighboring nations seeking treatment at hospitals along the border.
Montien Kanasawadse, assistant permanent director of the Public Health Ministry, stated in an interview with the Bangkok Post that the system was meant to ensure that everyone who lives on Thai soil has access to basic care, regardless of where they came from.
Dr. Montien claimed that the government has set up different funds to cover the costs and is actively working with various international organizations to assist with the situation.
Just three groups of non-Thai citizens are eligible to receive free care in Thailand, he said, refuting worries about the influx of foreign patients.
They are migrant workers under the international health insurance fund, foreign workers with work permits and registered under a social protection program through their Thai employers, and those who are asynchronous and are currently undergoing a Thai recognition number verification process.
Montien: Not everyone is ready
Community Issues
A Facebook post on a Facebook page named Drama-addict, which claimed border hospitals are having trouble opening up to non-Thai patients from neighboring nations who want to profit from the kingdom’s general medical coverage, raised public issue about the influx of foreign individuals.
Additionally, according to the article, more and more female immigrants are visiting Thai hospitals to give birth to their children who will eventually gain Thai membership.
The Public Health Ministry is ignoring a growing issue that could threaten the public care program, according to Dr. Thiravat Hemachudha, a member of the national committee on public healthcare transformation.
He urged the government to realize that the government has limited resources and is already struggling to give public healthcare to Thai citizens. A rise in international patients along the border did just add to the strain on health facilities and staff.
The situation had gone beyond “humanitarian help” because it is becoming a company, he said.
Some workers paid for phony employment documents, which allowed them to receive free open medical under Thai law.
Our public healthcare system may fail under the additional stress if the government doesn’t address the issue.
International organizations should improve these nations’ care systems. Thailand shouldn’t be responsible for their people,” Dr Thiravat said.
Thiravat: Healthcare company under stress
REALITY ON THE GROUND
The condition is not new, according to a senior doctor at Mae Sot Hospital in Tak state who declined to be identified.
The doctor, located near the Myanmar borders, often sees non-Thai individuals, who account for 40 % of all people, due to the limited company and therapy capacity in their hometown.
Most pay for the company.
Some patients had no means of paying, and some were brought to the hospital by foreign Charities, who took over their medical expenses.
” The circumstance hasn’t caused a strain on our money. The hospital can continue to operate under the guidance of the 30-baht widespread healthcare program, the asynchronous people’s healthcare fund, and other financial aid programs, he said.
He claimed that it would be much better if Myanmar established its own private care system to meet local needs.
The government sets aside money each year for a public healthcare fund to help hospitals along the border and care for stateless people in the nation, according to Dr. Supakit Sirilak, director of the Health Systems Research Institute ( HSRI ).
They include 700, 000 persons whose Thai citizenship is in the process of being verified. When these individuals claimed medical rights at the doctor, misperceptions may occur among the community, he said.
” This don’t produce any conflicts, “he said, before reminding that not all international people are entitled.
However, Nimit Thian-Udom, chairman of the Aids Access Foundation, said institutions should keep a flexible method for people suffering from illness, regardless of where the come from. He argued that to increase alien workers ‘ health, the government may put more effort into providing them with medical care.
Migrants who are unable to pay for medical care may ask for assistance from the medical unit, which will take their requests into account on the basis of humanitarian principles, according to Dr. Montien, the Public Health Ministry deputy continuous secretary.
He claimed that donations from charitable organizations will be used to cover the costs that cannot be paid by the people.
Supakit: Misperceptions may develop
Nimit: Maintain philanthropic process