Health Ministry to Remove COVID-19 From Emergency Treatment List

BANGKOK (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health has confirmed plans to update conditions for COVID-19 treatment in line with its policy to downgrade the status of the disease.

Deputy Prime Minister and Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul assured that no one would be left behind by the change in policy, as his ministry prepares to redesignate COVID-19 as endemic by the end of 2022.

The ministry intends to remove COVID treatment from its list of conditions covered by the Universal Coverage for Emergency Patients (UCEP) program starting in March.

The UCEP lets patients seek treatment at any hospital free-of-charge for three days before being transferred to the hospital where they are registered under the welfare scheme.

Under the policy change, those who test positive for the coronavirus but do not require critical care will not be covered by the UCEP, and will instead need to visit their regular hospital for treatment.