WHO lauds Thailand for good healthcare system
Thailand came in for praise by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for having a good healthcare system and a million-strong public health volunteer force, Taweesin Visanuyothin, spokesman of the government's Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said today (April 14).
“The World Health Organisation complimented us for a good family healthcare system and 1,040,000 village health volunteers, resulting in a huge group of people who can take care of patients effectively, which is considered one of Thailand’s prides,” he said.
“Other countries have now acknowledged Thailand’s healthcare potential. And I would like to thank our brothers and sisters, volunteer groups and all sectors for their cooperation to flatten the [rising Covid-19] curve.”
The Village Health Volunteers project was established in 1977 as an experiment in 20 provinces. With more than 40 years in existence, there are volunteers in almost every village now.
The Public Health Ministry has educated the volunteers on health and insurance and they have been receiving medical supplies.
They have knocked on at least 12 million doors and found that 600,000 people are in the sensitive group (young children and the elderly) and at risk of contracting Covid-19.