Thai Health Ministry to extend palliative care to 10,000 hospitals nationwide

[webfact]

Public Health Ministry to extend palliative care to 10,000 hospitals nationwide



BANGKOK, 12 Dec 2014 (NNT) – The Ministry of Public Health is preparing to extend palliative care for patients in the final stage of their illness to hospitals under its care.

As a New Year gift for Thai people, the Ministry of Public Health will promote the establishment of a special unit for patients in the terminal stage at more than 10,000 hospitals nationwide starting January next year.

The unit will comprise different types of specialists, such as doctors, nurses, psychologists, physical therapists, nutritionists, pharmacists, health volunteers and religious practitioners to provide patients with comprehensive assistance and help them and their families deal with the situation.

The special unit will also send its specialists to patients’ houses to offer further aid. A hotline will also be set up so that the patients’ families can seek advice round the clock.

According to the Ministry of Public Health’s statistics, the number of deaths is recorded at 300,000 each year. Most of the cases are caused by chronic diseases particularly cancer, kidney disease, and stroke. Cancer alone is the cause of 60,000 deaths per year.

-- NNT 2014-12-12

[jaltsc]

"As a New Year gift for Thai people, the Ministry of Public Health will promote the establishment of a special unit for patients in the terminal stage at more than 10,000 hospitals nationwide starting January next year."

How humane. Offering the right of basic human decency and proper care as a "gift". I would think that as Buddhists this would be a natural act of compassion.

[fvw53]

_{...what about private hospitals - listed on the stock market - where dragging the life of a terminally ill patient can be a gold mine?}

[connda]

I wonder if all 10,000 hospitals will be allowed to administer morphine for terminal patients. From my understanding, currently morphine is only allotted for use in the larger provincial hospitals with smaller amounts allotted to larger public hospitals.

Edited December 12, 2014 by connda

[surangw]

how many thais know the definition of palliative care ?