Anutin apprises new WHO rep of Thailand’s Covid-19 situation
Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul held a meeting on Friday with Dr Jos Vandelaer, the new World Health Organisation (WHO) representative to Thailand, who took office on October 1.
The aim of the meeting was to show how Thailand has been supporting and working in line with WHO’s medical and public health strategies.
Anutin said special attention was being placed on the new WHO Country Cooperation Strategy, which comprises plans on:
• Digital health
• Noncommunicable diseases
• Road safety
• Migrant population
• Public health emergency
• Strengthening Thailand’s leadership in global health
The minister said 303 million baht has been earmarked for implementing these plans over five years.
Anutin also reassured Vandelaer that Thailand will be able to reach its target of administering 100 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines by yearend, which should not be difficult given that 85 million doses have already been administered across the nation. He added that the government is also working on providing booster jabs to those who have been fully vaccinated.
Anutin also told Vandelaer that the government has approved the purchase of approximately 2 million pills of Molnupiravir, which will be used with the locally produced Favipiravir. He said with this shipment, Thailand should have enough Covid-19 medication in reserve.
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