State hospitals in trouble over budget disbursement
Play
Up to 105 state hospitals have plunged into a deep financial crisis over the past three years thanks partly to the budget disbursement from the government's universal-healthcare scheme.
“We have found that the disbursement of some Bt4.14 billion is still pending at the tambon level, when the money should go to hospitals,” Public Health Ministry’s permanent secretary Narong Sahametapat said yesterday.
He was speaking at a workshop on budgeting for the healthcare system development plan.
According to Narong, if the budgeting is handled efficiently, state hospitals will not suffer cash-flow problems.
Sutas Sriwilai, who chairs the Thailand Regional and General Hospital Society, said funds from the universal healthcare scheme should not go directly to hospitals, but to offices monitoring healthcare facilities in each area.
“That way, the financial resources can be shared,” he pointed out.
