Thailand to procure more COVID-19 test kits and speed up distribution amid new wave

[snoop1130]

(Photo by YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP)

 

To meet rising domestic demand, Thailand’s Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul has instructed the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) to procure more rapid antigen test kits, or ATKs, and for the National Health Security Office (NHSO) to accelerate the distribution of about one million already in stock.

 

The minister did, however, offer an assurance that there are sufficient ATKs to meet the immediate demand and that he has not received any report of shortages.

 

The minister also stressed the Public Health Ministry’s new guidelines regarding the treatment of Omicron cases, saying that beds in general hospitals are reserved for severe cases, while asymptomatic and mild cases will be treated at home or in community isolation (CI) facilities.

 

Full Story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailand-to-procure-more-covid-19-test-kits-and-speed-up-distribution-amid-new-wave/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-01-10

 

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[darksidedog]

23 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

The minister did, however, offer an assurance that there are sufficient ATKs to meet the immediate demand and that he has not received any report of shortages.

By no shortages I assume he means that you can still find some, but doing so at a sensible price is not easy, a fact which he seems happy to gloss over. A friend of mine here with 20 staff is having to spend 4,000 Baht a day for kits at 200 a hit, so 120,000 a month. The 49 Baht ones from 7/11 aren't in shortage, they are non existent, which would knock 90,000 off the above bill.

 

 

[hotchilli]

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

The minister did, however, offer an assurance that there are sufficient ATKs to meet the immediate demand and that he has not received any report of shortages.

 

13 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

National Health Security Office (NHSO) to accelerate the distribution of about one million already in stock.

One million in stock, 70+ million population... hmmm

and they want everyone to test regularly, and staff to test everyday.

Maybe he should re-think his procurement strategy.