Preventative healthcare the way to go for Thailand in healthcare, says entrepreneur
Innovative preventative healthcare is currently required to strengthen Thailand's medical and healthcare industry as the country strives to become the leading medical hub in then Asean region, said Tathas Sutthinoon, director of Whiteroom Co Ltd, a Thai healthcare technology firm.
Tathas says current trends offer tremendous opportunity to provide medical test kits to the Thai market, as preventative measures would play a larger part in the country's healthcare industry because they are less expensive than therapy and cause less suffering.
Medical test kits could help customers feel empowered and take an active role in understanding their bodies, allowing them to know exactly how to care for themselves and stay healthy for as long as possible, he explained.
In October 2022, he became the sole trade partner with GC Labs, a leading South Korean clinical laboratory, with the goal of providing easy and affordable self-medical test kits to Thailand.
He described it as "another fantastic opportunity" to participate in the country's medical industry.
Following the Covid-19 pandemic, most people realised the value of good health and that the best way to stay healthy is through predictive, preventive, and personalised medicine, he said, adding that people want to know which methods are best for them and which risks they should avoid.
Meanwhile, the rise in noncommunicable diseases such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer; the ageing population; a universal healthcare system; the developing medical tourism industry; increased foreign investment; and a favourable climate for clinical drug trials are all contributing to the medical market's expansion, according to GlobalData.
Tathas believes that his medical test kits will meet market demands, adding that the company's tool kit sales are small but have been increasing month by month since its launch in the fourth quarter of last year.
He said there are two types of test kits: HPV Detection Kit for determining cervical cancer risk and Genetics DNA Testing to determine each person's genetics, which is one of the components that cause human disease and predicts the risk of noncommunicable diseases and cancer up to 45 diseases.
Since the kits are new to the country, he plans to raise awareness in the first few years.
He also hoped that the move would support Thai government policies intended to make "Thailand, a Hub of Wellness and Medical Services" and developing into a medical centre in four major areas: wellness, medical services, academics, and commodities over the next 10 years (2016-2025).
Currently, the country's Board of Investment offers a number of favourable laws and incentives to foster an attractive investment climate and opportunities for scientific research and clinical research and development, resulting in significant growth in a wide range of medical and healthcare firms.
