The cabinet yesterday approved an 11.3-billion-baht budget to deal with the re-emerging of Covid-19.
The amount will be spent on 10 projects, grouped into preventive measures (4.3 billion baht), treatment (7 billion) and support (27 million), according to deputy government spokeswoman Rachada Dhnadirek.
For preventive measures, 1.8 billion baht will go to accelerating access to vaccines; 1.6 billion baht to compensate 1 million village health volunteers for monitoring the situation in communities for a further three months; and 504 million for medical supplies, equipment and laboratories.
To treat patients, 3 billion baht was allocated to health services under the universal healthcare programme; 1.9 billion to buy medical supplies and equipment; and 2 billion to increase the capacity of health services in the provinces.
The 27.2-million-baht support budget will buy equipment and screening devices, and develop the new normal medical emergency project.
The deputy government spokeswoman said the government had set aside enough budgets to deal with the outbreak and revive the economy.
Moreover, the cabinet agreed to adjust the terms and conditions for the co-payment programme for employment which the government aims to promote employment for the new graduates.
Ms Rachada said 19.4 billion baht had been approved to subsidise the employment of young job seekers. However, an evaluation of the current scheme, which started in October, found many students who graduated last year and had begun jobs had subsequently been laid off due to the pandemic and left ineligible for inclusion.
The new conditions now stipulate that anyone under 25, but also older students with diplomas awarded in 2019 or later, is eligible, with the government subsidising 50% or up to 7,500 baht a month of their salaries according to their education level, from Mathayom 6 (Grade 12), Diploma/High Vocational Certificate or university degree.
The programme will run until Dec 2021, she said.