Drive-through Covid swap test at a Bangkok hospital. (photo by Veena Thoopkrajae)

 

Bangkok’s hospitals still have enough COVID-19 test supplies, but they have had to suspend testing due to a shortage of hospital beds, according to the Director-General of the Department of Medical Sciences, Dr. Suppakit Sirilak.

 

Currently, there are 300,000-400,000 test kits in Thailand, while there are 270 hospitals across the country, both private and government, approved by the Department of Medical Sciences to provide COVID-19 tests. Each hospital has their own stock of test supplies, while the department also holds them, in case of shortage.

 

As for the rumours of a test kit shortage in private hospitals, Dr. Suppakit explained that it may arise from concerns that the hospital beds would fill up. He suggested that those who are not at risk take saliva tests samples instead.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bangkoks-hospitals-have-sufficient-covid-19-test-kits/

 

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-04-10

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Of course they do ????

 

The days of mandatory hospitalisation are coming to an end as Thailand potentially enters an uncontrolled phase of the outbreak.

8 minutes ago, webfact said:

Bangkok’s hospitals still have enough COVID-19 test supplies, but they have had to suspend testing due to a shortage of hospital beds

Dear God please let that be a false statement.

 

I think Thailand should get a * mark on worldometers of 'stopped testing now due to no beds'

 

 

Spin it whichever way you want, the result is there are no tests happening in at least a dozen hospitals

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Currently, there are 300,000-400,000 test kits in Thailand

 

 

If this is the sum total of all test kits in the country, then that should be setting off alarms.

 

I mean the local 7/11 probably has a more robust inventory/re-order system than some disparate network of hospitals.

 

Do these have any shelf-life/expiry requirements? Storage requirements?

 

Half-expecting to find some in the local market - they fell off a truck.

 

 

 

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Bangkok’s hospitals still have enough COVID-19 test supplies, but they have had to suspend testing due to a shortage of hospital beds, according to the Director-General of the Department of Medical Sciences, Dr. Suppakit Sirilak.

Didn't know you had to be in bed to take the test?

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Currently, there are 300,000-400,000 test kits in Thailand

Gives you some perspective on what Thailand calls mass testing as opposed to some countries where this number of tests is carried out in a day.

1 hour ago, Bkk Brian said:

Spin it whichever way you want, the result is there are no tests happening in at least a dozen hospitals

And all the time the head Honcho for Health deafening us all with his silence.

3 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Didn't know you had to be in bed to take the test?

In LOS you have to! They but all in hospital who even have running nose, then they complain that dont have place in hospital!

4 hours ago, 2 is 1 said:

In LOS you have to! They but all in hospital who even have running nose, then they complain that dont have place in hospital!

It's how they make money.

400,000 test kits doesn't sound like a lot for what's about to come. They're not as ready as they seem to think.

 

Are the tests free?

14 hours ago, Bkk Brian said:

Gives you some perspective on what Thailand calls mass testing as opposed to some countries where this number of tests is carried out in a day.