Health Ministry elaborates on migrant workers’ COVID-19 testing budget

Tanakorn Sangiam

 

 

BANGKOK (NNT) - Some doctors have raised complaints about a lack of funding from the government for COVID-19 screening and testing in migrant workers communities outside Samut Sakhon, which is the epicenter of the current outbreak. The Ministry of Public Health elaborated that it has allocated a budget specifically for the testing of migrant workers who are at-risk.

 

The Department of Disease Control’s (DDC) Director General Dr Opas Karnkawinpong addressed a claim by a group of rural doctors alleging the lack of funding at hospitals outside of Samut Sakhon for the testing of migrant workers, increases the danger of a spread should this higher-risk population not have access to testing.

 

The DDC chief said the budget for testing of migrant workers will be supported by the Ministry of Public Health, however these migrant workers must have certain conditions that make them eligible, or be considered part of an at-risk group, including new detainees at immigration detention centers.

 

He said from March to September 2020, the DDC had supported the cost of testing immigrants by accessing the government budget of 86.19 billion baht.

 

The DDC has requested additional funding from the central budget to continue supporting COVID-19 testing among migrant worker communities, with the funding still pending.

 

The Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) Spokesman has confirmed immigrants who fit the disease surveillance criteria, such as those having travelled from at-risk areas, or having a contact history with a patient, and exhibiting suspicious symptoms, can receive COVID-19 tests free of charge.

 

He said this policy will ensure every person at-risk has access to testing, which is a crucial step for an effective disease control operation.

 

-- © Copyright NNT 2020-12-27

 

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Why not take some money from the space program? 

11 minutes ago, rooster59 said:

Some doctors have raised complaints about a lack of funding from the government for COVID-19 screening and testing in migrant workers communities outside Samut Sakhon

Here's an idea, why not divert some funds from Thailand's planned Moon mission and spend it on people on earth mainly Thailand...

Many places have not been requiring sign in or even doing Temperature screenings in many locations, and it is not just migrant workers that need testing.  In talking to the GF's family this morning it appears that her aunt and uncle in the Bang Na area as well as their local village of Myanmar Nationals, who live in dormitory style housing south of Bang Na were just visited yesterday.  The government was looking for identification and testing them all, Many of my GF's family are a combination of Thai/Myanmar nationalities, but the location also houses maybe many thousand.  I am waiting to hear back from them as the testing is continuing today and maybe a report will surface.  I am sure the budget and testing equipment available is starting to dwindle,  as many of these people work in the customs warehouses near the airport, and at Suvarnabhumi, but the family and friends have never been to Samut Sakhon.

 

Yes a testing budget obviously needs to be increased, and for all people not just migrants.  Why the disparity and inequity to began with.  Everyone in this country is on equal footing when it comes to the Covid Virus.  Thais are not immune and only migrants can catch it.  Stay safe people.

7 minutes ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Why not take some money from the space program? 

They can't need much to program a space. Don't they know it's been 32 Dec/20 Hex for years.