THURSDAY, March 28, 2024
nationthailand

Udon Thani hospital chief named 'best rural doctor'

Udon Thani hospital chief named 'best rural doctor'

Dr Kangwan's 31 years of devoted service helps him beat 15 other contenders

DR KANGWAN WONGRAT-SAMEETUAN, director of Namsom District Hospital in Udon Thani province, has been named the “Best Rural Doctor of 2014” for encouraging new physicians to use their knowledge to help the grassroots, especially in rural areas.
“I was very glad when I successfully entered Siriraj Medical School, then I was very proud when I graduated and this time I’m very proud and glad that I’m rewarded with the best rural doctor prize,” he said yesterday. 
“I will continue my duty as a rural doctor until my retirement,” he said.
Mahidol University’s Medical School at Siriraj Hospital hosted the 41st ceremony, bestowing the prize to Kangwan for his contribution to the rural hospital in the Northeast for 31 years. 
At the press conference, Kangwan said he wants to use his medical knowledge to benefit the people and wants new doctors to follow the will of the father of Thai modern medicine, Prince Mahidol of Songkhla, to contribute their skills to the masses. 
He said he wanted to become a rural doctor after he graduated. When he was posted to Namsom District Hospital 31 years ago, the district was mostly undeveloped and the danger of the communist insurgency was ever present.
“At that time, the hospital had only 10 beds and the lack of medical staff and equipment was a major concern, but now the area has already developed and more people reside in the district. The hospital now has 60 beds,” he said.
“We are now facing new problems of hospital management, as the hospital is larger and the people are now suffering more from chronic diseases such as diabetes due to the change of lifestyles. 
“These are the challenges that we are trying to tackle,” he added.
Dr Prasit Watanapa, director of Siriraj Medical School, said he was pleased to present the prize to Kangwan because he had seen Kangwan’s good work at Namsom District Hospital and his contribution to healthcare development in the rural area.
“Doctors like Kangwan are very important to our country. Doctors who give up their comfortable lives to help the people in rural areas set an example for others,” he said.
Dr Samut Zhongwisan, chairman of the rural doctor prize committee, said there were 15 nominees and the committee had visited their hospitals to talk with staff and patients and monitor the hospitals’ operation to find the finest practitioner for this prize.
“We judged on the experience of each doctor, healthcare management, interpersonal relations, academic knowledge, leadership and creativity for doing good things for the people. A nominee is not required to be a Siriraj Medical School alumnus,” he said.
It was hard to choose the award winner, as all candidates had excellent performance. 
The winner would hopefully inspire and act as a role model for rural doctors across the country, he added.
 
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