Many private hospitals in Bangkok have suspended Covid-19 testing, citing the high demand for beds and shortages of testing solutions and kits amid rising infections.
Hospital suspending testing include Piyavate, Phyathai 1, Phyathai 2, Chaophya, Samitivej Srinakarin, Ramkhamhaeng, Sukhumvit, MedPark, Synphaet, BNH and Paolo Hospital Kaset.
Samitivej Srinakarin Hospital sent a message to registered patients via Line app, "As there are many people taking Covid-19 tests at the hospital, this is causing a shortage of testing solutions. It is necessary for the hospital to temporarily suspend Covid-19 testing. We will update you immediately the service is available''.
Other hospials announced on social media they were suspending testing.
Paolo Hospital Kaset had a recorded message in Thai on its switchboard saying it had temporarily suspended Covid-19 screening because of a shortage of beds.
Taweesilp Visanuyothin, spokesman for the Centre for Covid-19 Situation Administration, said on Friday that testing solutions were still available at private hospitals, but they were required to admit infected patients right away.
This requirement by the government forced them to stop Covid-19 tests, because all the beds available for Covid-19 patients were occupied.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said on Friday the government had already discussed the issue of private hospitals suspending Covid-19 testing. It was necessary to set up field hospitals to help accommodate infected patients, he said.
He was responding to a reporter's question.
Gen Prayut said the problem now was there were too few hospital beds and insufficient supplies of Covid-19 vaccines. If someone took a Covid-19 test and the result came back positive, that hospital had to admit the patients for treatment. This resulted in full hospital beds.
The prime minister said it was necessary to set up field hospitals, which could do Covid-19 testing and treat patients.
