Health minister appoints his chief advisor to head donation probe

[webfact]

Health minister appoints his chief advisor to head donation probe

 

Bhumjaithai Party leader Anutin Charnvirakul poses during an interview with Agence France-Presse in Bangkok on April 3, 2019. – A Thai party that wants to let households grow marijuana is in demand after a hard-fought election, and its leader said April 3 that their policies must be backed by groups looking for support in coalitions. (Photo by Romeo GACAD / AFP) 

 

Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s chief advisor, M.L. Somchai Chakrabhand, has been appointed to head a committee investigating allegations that 186 hospitals under the Ministry’s supervision have accepted donations from pharmaceutical companies.

 

The Minister said Thursday that the probe team will report directly to him. Mr. Anutin said that he is handling the case personally because the hospitals implicated in the donation scandal represent 20% of the hospitals under the Ministry’s supervision.

 

He warned, however, that whistle-blowers may be held accountable if it is proven that their allegations are groundless. The allegations concern demands by hospital staff for donations, or kickbacks, worth 5% of the value of the products that a hospital buys from drug companies.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/health-minister-appoints-his-chief-advisor-to-head-donation-probe/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2020-06-12

 

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[champers]

Why shouldn't hospital admin management have a commercial agreement with Pharma? Both sides benefit. It is the personal palm greasing that needs stamping out.

[bangkokfrog]

17 minutes ago, champers said:

Why shouldn't hospital admin management have a commercial agreement with Pharma? Both sides benefit. It is the personal palm greasing that needs stamping out.

I am happy to be proved wrong, but I thought this kind of thing happens with hospitals (and in some countries doctors) all over the world. To me it is the scale that matters and whether any quid pro quo asked for in return can negatively affect patients.

Seems to be a nice way to get good PR about fighting corruption while turning a blind eye to any incidences closer to home.

[Thaiwrath]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Health minister appoints his chief advisor to head donation probe

In any normal country, an independent person would be appointed to head such a probe investigating the possibility of fraud.

You can't beat a bit on nepotism !

 

[Thailand]

Whistleblowers, if you have information that may incriminate the wrong persons say nowt!

 

#oldfarangsmatter

[Curt1591]

Although all Thai hospitals are pill crazy, government hospitals pass the stuff out like Halloween candy. Saw one lady leave the social security wing, with 3 cases of Gaviscon. 

[colinneil]

So Anutin has appointed his pal Somchai to head donation probe.

Well you wont find any fairer probe than that, will you.????

[BobbyL]

Once again, they are their own judge, jury and executioner. Any normal place would see this investigation carried out by a completely separate entity.

 

Here it is done by the health minister's very own sidekick. 

 

 

[smedly]

2 hours ago, Thaiwrath said:

In any normal country, an independent person would be appointed to head such a probe investigating the possibility of fraud.

You can't beat a bit on nepotism !

 

exactly, it's like having the police investigate their own corruption or appointing party members or military to the NACC 

[mr mr]

i have full faith that this probe will progress without a hitch. leave no stone unturned anutin. 

[YetAnother]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul’s chief advisor, M.L. Somchai Chakrabhand, has been appointed to head a committee investigating allegations that 186 hospitals under the Ministry’s supervision have accepted donations from pharmaceutical companies.

anutin (bad start) 'donations' ; together, a bad recipe

[colinneil]

18 minutes ago, mr mr said:

i have full faith that this probe will progress without a hitch. leave no stone unturned anutin. 

Please let us know what your on, cause i need some of that.????

Edited June 12, 2020 by colinneil

[Bender Rodriguez]

4 hours ago, champers said:

Why shouldn't hospital admin management have a commercial agreement with Pharma? Both sides benefit. It is the personal palm greasing that needs stamping out.

the patients don't benefit, the 300 percent upscale of prices of medicine, etc...

 

keep the discount and charge full price

 

medicine should never been allowed to be a commercial institution

[petedk]

There is an English proverb

 

"Don't let the fox guard the henhouse."

 

Say no more.

[Baerboxer]

5 hours ago, colinneil said:

So Anutin has appointed his pal Somchai to head donation probe.

Well you wont find any fairer probe than that, will you.????

 

Yep and the probe "commission" will report directly to their boss, who appointed them. 

 

Don't want the report leaking and being "misunderstood".

 

Notice the little threat to whistleblowers. Open your gobs about the wrong people and they'll be consequences, whatever the reality.

[Tropicalevo]

He should have asked his friend in the Agriculture ministery to head up the investigation. The deputy minister there has previous experiance in investigating the buying of pharmaceuticals. Mind you, that was in Australia.

[Justgrazing]

That's a Will Carling grade dimple the health minister is sporting ..

Bet he was a right little billy bunter as a kid .. 

[hotchilli]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

He warned, however, that whistle-blowers may be held accountable if it is proven that their allegations are groundless

So if the ministry wishes to say there were no kick-backs, no corruption and the accusations were groundless as a whitewash, they can hang the whistle blowers out to dry ?

[seajae]

he is probably upset they didnt give him a commision as the  minister, he has to get back his money used to get the position some how

 

[Burma Bill]

9 hours ago, webfact said:

Health minister appoints his chief advisor to head donation probe

And to come up with some "concrete" evidence?????

[tingtong]

9 hours ago, champers said:

Why shouldn't hospital admin management have a commercial agreement with Pharma? Both sides benefit. It is the personal palm greasing that needs stamping out.

 

will the hospital in turn provide the best suitable medicine for the patient, or push the one pharma they get the most kickbacks from?

bcos hospital business has still another side too, the patient, who ultimately is paying for those decisions; figuratively and literally...

[phetchy]

I am aware of donating blood and major organs - but a whole head donation?  The wonders of modern science !

[dinsdale]

We will check to see if you have paid the appropriate amount to us. If you haven't please forward the money to our pockets immidiately.

[mikebell]

23 hours ago, BobbyL said:

Here it is done by the health minister's very own sidekick. 

This way he avoids any responsibility if anything wrong is discovered and if it's not (which is the more likely scenario.)  

The threat to whistle blowers AKA witnesses indicates how rigorously this investigation will be enacted.

[ChipButty]

On 6/12/2020 at 6:06 AM, colinneil said:

So Anutin has appointed his pal Somchai to head donation probe.

Well you wont find any fairer probe than that, will you.????

Not going to find anything wrong now are they?