BANGKOK, 5 May 2015 – The Ministry of Public Health has ensured a strict surveillance policy to prevent the outbreak of the MERS-CoV virus in Thailand, providing precautions care for Muslims traveling during their Hajj pilgrimage.
The Minister of Public Health Rajata Rajatanavin said at the National Reform Council assembly today regarding the precautionary measures against the spread of the MERS-CoV virus, that the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has taken this matter very seriously, comparable to the efforts in place during the Ebola virus outbreak.
He has said that the MOPH has implemented surveillance measures for people traveling to and from countries where this virus is reported, including the Muslim pilgrims to Mecca for Hajj. The Ministry is now working with hospitals in provinces where airports are located to develop fast diagnosis procedures to cope with the potential outbreaks.
On this occasion, the Minister of Public Health also addressed the pricing issue of public hospitals, where many complaints have been made regarding the high price, saying that the ministry is now asking for all private hospitals to clearly report all the costs and fees to their patients before beginning treatment. This will allow the patient to be aware of the price beforehand.
