ThaiHealth seeks help in ensuring well-being of 46,000 bedridden elderly patients
The Thai Health Promotion Foundation (ThaiHealth) is seeking help from its partners to meet the needs of some 46,000 elderly people nationwide who need palliative care.
Dr Pongthep Wongwatcharapaibool, director of ThaiHealth’s healthcare development division, said the statistics for 2021 indicate that Thailand has 12.5 million elderly people, and of them, 46,779 are bedridden due to conditions like strokes, heart disease or other paralysing disorders.
Dr Pongthep said these patients require specialised care, as their condition makes them vulnerable to painful bedsores.
The doctor was speaking at a seminar on palliative care held in cooperation with the Wellbeing Creation Co Ltd, the General Practitioners/Family Physicians Association of Thailand and the Physical Therapy Association of Thailand.
Dr Surasak Atikmanon, who is in charge of distributing health restoration funds to provinces, said ThaiHealth has launched a pilot project in 10 provinces and will use the insights gained to facilitate the expansion of the initiative.
