’30-baht treatment anywhere’ highlight of Thailand’s new ‘quick win’ health policies
The Public Health Ministry has consolidated the 13 national health plans previously proposed into 10 urgent or “quick win” policies, with the “30-baht treatment anywhere” scheme at its centre.
The “30-baht treatment anywhere” scheme was part of the key election promises made by the ruling Pheu Thai Party.
The aim of the 10 urgent policies is to achieve concrete results within 100 days, Public Health Minister Dr Cholnan Srikaew said as he announced the policies last month. He said some policies had already started and are expected to bear results in time for New Year as a gift for the public.
The “treatment anywhere” scheme is a continuation of the 30-baht universal healthcare scheme implemented in 2002 by then-PM Thaksin Shinawatra’s government.
Under the new iteration of the scheme, beneficiaries will be covered for key medical problems at participating hospitals, for which they pay just 30 baht.
According to Cholnan, four health zones covering 27 provinces are now ready to implement the scheme.
The other nine quick-win health policies are:
• Continuation and expansion of healthcare units/hospitals under royal patronage or royal initiative projects.
• Establishing district hospitals in all 50 districts of Bangkok, as well as a 120-bed hospital in Chiang Mai’s Muang district.
• Each province must have a treatment unit for mental health patients and drug addicts.
• Providing 1 million doses of HPV vaccine to women aged 11 to 20 nationwide.
• Boosting morale and career development of healthcare professionals, including granting 3,000 permanent positions for nurses and specialised nurses.
• Establishing a palliative care centre in each health zone.
• Adding childbirth promotion to the national agenda and integrating it with policies of related agencies.
• Promoting a health economy by establishing model communities and blue zones for long-living citizens.
• Launching the “One Region, One Sky Doctor” programme to highlight Thailand’s readiness to attend to medical emergencies in a bid to attract medical tourists.
