Thailand Urged To Invest More On Healthcare

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Kingdom urged to invest more on healthcare

BANGKOK: -- At a time when the world is suffering from an economic crisis, it is important for nations like Thailand to continue investing in the healthcare system and ensuring that all citizens have access to state welfare, the 2009 Prince Mahidol Award winner, Professor Anne Mills, said.

She added that it was also important for the government to make sure the budget marked for healthcare, no matter how limited, was spent efficiently. Mills is a professor of health economics and policy at the University of London's School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

"It is very important to scrutinise where the money is going to make sure it is spent in the most effective manner," she said.

Mills is well known in the field of developing and applying economic tools to improve policy-making and healthcare systems.

With Thailand's recently implemented universal health coverage, Mills suggested that it was also important that the health sector pay more attention to prevention. She advised that Thailand's main priority over the next ten years should be to bring the three main schemes - social security, state welfare and the Bt30-health scheme - closer together to reduce the inequality between different levels of the population.

As for the complicated issue of drug pricing, she said the government should seek ways to lower the prices though it should also remember that research and innovation were also important.

"On the one hand, it is important that people have access to medicine they can afford, but on the other we need to continue research on new curative measures," she said.

Mills was speaking at the annual Prince Mahidol Awards Foundation's press conference to address key issues on improving public healthcare services and policies.

This year the award has been presented to three individuals: Professor Mills in the field of medicine; Dr Wiwat Rojanapithayakorn, World Health Organisation representative for Mongolia; as well as former senator and health activist Mechai Viravaidya in the field of public health.

HRH Princess Chulabhorn Valayalaksana will represent His Majesty the King in presenting the awards today at the Borommaratchasathit Maholan Throne Hall. The recipients, who will each be receiving Bt1.5 million, will later be granted a royal audience at the Ananda Samakhom Throne Hall.

The three individuals were carefully screened over two years and chosen from the 66 nominations put forward by 35 countries. Over the past 17 years, 51 individuals, groups and institutions have received the Prince Mahidol Award.

Wiwat is known for initiating the 100-per-cent Condom Use Programme while serving as director of the Office of Communicable Disease Control in Ratchaburi in 1989. The scheme was recognised worldwide as one of the most successful HIV/Aids prevention tools.

Mechai founded the community-based Family Planning Services in 1974 to educate rural women about family planning. In addition, his tireless promotion of the use of condoms through unique campaigns demystified the prophylactic, and made the previously taboo subject an everyday topic.

The former senator, who is affectionately known as "Mr Condom", said that since new HIV/Aids infections were increasing over the past few years, especially among gay men and housewives, the government should pay more attention to educating people on protecting themselves.

"You have to make your own choice: whether you want your children to use a condom and avoid getting infected or let them get infected because you are too embarrassed about discussing the use of condoms," Mechai said.

Dr Wiwat agreed, saying that since the group most at risk had changed from sex workers to men who have sex with men and women, promoting the use of condoms was very important for everyone.

-- The Nation 2010-01-27

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[poldebol]

My wife works as a nurse in a hospital. I always look around at the hospital grounds when I go to pick her up. One of the first times I told her:

- "I know who are the real bosses of the hospital."

- "Oh yes? An who are they then."

- "The ambulance drivers" I said. She was shocked and shot back:

- "How do you know?"

Say no more, say no more.

[citizen33]

This award is richly-deserved recognition for a senior academic who has worked hard for Thailand for many years, and who trained many of the policy makers who have driven forward health reform in the Kingdom. This article contains a minor mistake (not in Prof Mill's talk) and should have listed the three schemes mentioned as the social security scheme. civil servant medical benefit scheme and 30 baht (or now UC) scheme.

Edited January 27, 2010 by citizen33

[Asa]

" it was also important for the government to make sure the budget marked for healthcare, no matter how limited, was spent efficiently. She said it was?

Nevertheless, the key is healthcare is important, investment must be effectively use of limited budget. Agreed! Thailand just had few health ministers removed from posts due to misappropriation. One was jailed.