Due to the decision by Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, Minister of Public Health, that the NHSO has no authority to oversee rights other than the Gold Card group, health promotion and disease prevention services are now only available to the 47 million Thais with Gold Card rights. Over 20 million people with health rights outside the Gold Card are affected, having previously received health promotion and disease prevention services funded by the NHSO for over 20 years. The budget that cannot be disbursed amounts to a total of 9,291 million baht.
The Coalition for the Restoration of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Rights, consisting of 130 organizations, groups, and networks working in various fields, in the name of those affected by the loss of health rights, sees that if Thai citizens cannot access health promotion services and the disease prevention control mechanisms are not equally comprehensive, Thailand may enter a severe health problem cycle in the near future. Therefore, they call on individuals, groups, and agencies to take the following actions:
- Request Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul, as Chairman of the National Health Security Board, to urgently sign the announcement of the National Health Security Board to restore rights and address the current impacts immediately before the upcoming dissolution of parliament.
- Request the Ministry of Public Health to cooperate with the National Health Security Office and relevant agencies to expedite the drafting of a royal decree to restore health promotion and disease prevention rights to everyone in the country, to be considered and completed during the term of this cabinet.
- Request the Ministry of Public Health and the National Health Security Office to have clear measures to compensate for expenses related to health promotion and disease prevention that public and private health service units have already advanced, totaling several million baht in the fiscal year 2023, and a solution for the fiscal year 2024 if actions 1 and 2 cannot be completed before the dissolution of parliament.
- Request all political parties to have clear policies to ensure that all Thai citizens receive comprehensive and equal health rights covering health promotion, disease prevention, medical treatment, and health rehabilitation.
See details in the open letter from the Coalition for the Restoration of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Rights: https://bit.ly/3F9sFxc
List of the Coalition for the Restoration of Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Rights: https://bit.ly/3Jr1LTS
Read all: https://rsathai.org/en/contents/26302
Academic seminar and press conference: “Restoring Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Rights for All Thais”
March 9, 2023, at the Office of the National Human Rights Commission, National Health Security Office
#HealthPromotion #NHSO
Source: Facebook Fanpage – Rsathai