Covid pandemic shifted Thai public health system’s focus from other patients
The Covid-19 pandemic has shifted the focus from people suffering from other diseases, Thailand’s top virologist pointed out.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Dr Yong Poovorawan said that more people suffering from other diseases have been dying because the public health system has been overburdened with Covid patients.
He said people with other conditions are unable to get proper diagnosis or treatment because they are having to stay home due to lockdown measures or the cancellation of outpatient services and surgeries.
Hence, he said, there have been more deaths during the Covid-19 pandemic than normal.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), there have been 14.83 million more deaths from other conditions or 2.74 times more than the 5.42 million deaths from Covid-19 in 2020 and 2021.
However, Yong said, the WHO graph shows that deaths from chronic illnesses and Covid-19 in Thailand are far lower than in some countries in Europe and America. This, he said, reflects the strength of Thailand’s public health system and overall preparation for Covid-19.
