2,000 more hospitals in 18 months

The Public Health Ministry will upgrade 1,000 tambon health stations to hospital level this year and another 1,000 next year.

This is part of the ministry's four-year (2009-2012) target to upgrade 9,000 out of 9,810 tambon health stations nationwide to hospital standard with the potential to provide medial services and carry out programmes to promote healthy life-styles, prevention of disease, health recovery and enable communities to set up a health system of their own.

This was revealed on Monday by Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai during a meeting of more than 500 medical personnel, including chiefs of provincial and district public health offices, directors of hospitals and chiefs of tambon health stations in 14 northern province at a hotel in Chiang Rai.

Mr Witthaya said the intention of upgrading health stations to hospitals is to enable the people of have access to medical services and reduce the number of sick people.

He said more  people are sick with non-contagious diseases such as ischemic heart disease, diabetes and strokes which cause leave them disabled and headed for  an early death.

Therefore, the Public Health Ministry has a policy to promote health and reduce the number of sick people.  Campaigns will encourage people to stop smoking and drinking alcohol, reduce intake of fat and sugar, eat more vegetables and fruit, and do more exercise, he said.

The 2,000 health stations to be upgraded to hospitals will be provided with 1.2 million baht each to buy necessary equipment and set up a computer system to enable nurses at health stations to seek advice directly from doctors at district hospitals.