B5bn injection to help loss-ridden state hospitals

B5bn injection to help loss-ridden state hospitals

Many public hospitals have been operating in the red for a long time and the government has finally allocated 5 billion baht in urgent support funding. (File photo by Rarinthorn Phetcharoen)
Many public hospitals have been operating in the red for a long time and the government has finally allocated 5 billion baht in urgent support funding. (File photo by Rarinthorn Phetcharoen)

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha allocated 5 billion baht from the government's central fund as an immediate solution to support about 80 loss-ridden hospitals under the Public Health Ministry.

Health Minister Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn said on Friday the prime minister allocated the money because he was worried about the liquidity problem at public hospitals.

The minister attributed the financial problem to insufficient regular budget funding to support public treatment under the universal health care scheme and to the national trend towards an ageing society.

The 5-billion-baht was only an immediate solution. In the long run the overall health and health insurance systems would have to be overhauled and hospitals would need feasible operations, Dr Piyasakol said.

He had yet to discuss long-term solutions with relevant authorities. But at this stage, hospitals needed efficient operations and more money.

The health minister said about 80 public hospitals were suffering from long-standing losses and five of them were critically financially weak. They included community-based hospitals, he said.

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