More funds for healthcare

In a meeting yesterday, the Cabinet decided that per capita healthcare coverage be raised from Bt2,200 to Bt2,400. The NHSO had initially asked the government to increase per capita allocation to Bt2,700 and extend and improve services at the primary level. However, the budget bureau said it could only increase the per capita allocation by Bt200 due to the eco¬nomic recession.

NHSO's deputy secretarygen¬eral, Dr Prateep Tanakijchareon said this would affect the agency's plans to expand services, including its plans to improve the quality of services offered at the primary level.

Wittaya also said that NHSO had collaborated with private hospitals in Bangkok as well as its network of 17 hospitals nationwide to provide treatment and medical emergency care for patients with heart disease.