CDC chief defends healthcare coverage in draft charter

He was speaking at a meeting with highranking Public Health Ministry officials, led by the minister, which was broadcast live to public health offices across the country.
Meechai rejected rumours that the draft charter took away citizen’s right to free universal healthcare, which is also known as the “gold card”.
He said Article 258 (4) stipulated that the public healthcare security system would be adjusted so people can get equal access to quality healthcare. The charter drafters had also kept effective and efficient management of the national health security fund in mind when writing the law, he said.
Jon Ungphakorn, adviser of a group calling itself Health Conscious People, had asked last month if the draft charter would limit free universal healthcare to “the less privileged”.
“If this is the case, then the universal health care system will become a health system for ‘the poor’ instead of belonging to every citizen. Plus, ‘the poor’ will only get the lowest or thirdclass service compared to other groups of people,” he said.