Govt to launch campaign to promote health care next year

"Even nowadays, elderly people live longer lives but they are also suffering from chronic diseases. We have to help them learn how to protect themselves from these killer diseases," Public Health Minister Witthaya Kaewparadai said yesterday.

Such chronic ailments as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease took many lives during the past few years, he said.

To reduce the mortality rate from these diseases, the ministry would assign all health volunteers across country to instruct seniors in their areas on how to prevent chronic diseases.

Next year the ministry will upgrade the quality of hospitals to give people better healthcare service and easier access to medication.

Witthaya said he received many complaints about bad medical service at hospitals, so during his term, all state institutions would develop their medical services offered to patients.

"They should reform their administration and think about why do many patients want to receive medical service from their hospital," he said.

Deputy permanent secretary Siriporn Kanchana said the ministry would devise a strategy for next year to tackle public health issues.

It would include the drafting of national and international health policies to deal with the changes to happen at all levels, the development of a holistic healthcare service that adopts an efficiency approach to regular and emergency situations, and the encouragement of people participation in promoting healthcare services.

It would also develop systems and mechanisms to facilitate healthcare management under the self-sufficiency principle, and chart the direction for policy, research and knowledge management.