Officials Air Concern Over Health Plan
By Arthit Khwankhom
Thailand, 14 March 2001 -- Some health officials are anxious about the government's planned low-cost health care programme, a Public Health deputy permanent secretary said yesterday.
Speaking to reporters after a closed-door meeting of provincial public-health officials from all over the country, Suvit Wiboonpolprasert said the meeting had been called to debate the merits of the low-cost health scheme, which eventually will be introduced nationwide.
He said some officials had expressed reservations about the plan, saying it would force them to become independent, which they said they were not ready to do.
Becoming independent is not an inevitable outcome of the Power Decentralisation Act, and in any case, Suvit said, decentralisation would be introduced on a gradual, flexible basis.
Some officials were also anxious about the extra costs incurred by collecting a smaller amount of medical fees under the plan, he said.
Asked about this matter, Suvit said the government had ensured it would set up a reserve fund to solve the problem.
"Don't worry about the budget, because the ministry has promised that it can afford to support the scheme efficiently."
The ministry will today hold a meeting with the six provincial health-office chiefs to prepare a programme for them to present to the forum in Prachuab Khiri Khan.
Source: The Nation
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