BANGKOK, 4 August 2015, The National Health Security Office (NHSO) has agreed in principal with the recently drafted 2016 national healthcare policies, particularly in terms of healthcare coverage for the elderly.
NHSO Chairman and Public Health Minister Ratchata Ratchatanawin told the media that the Cabinet approved a 600-million-baht budget for the Ministry of Public Health to manage the National Health Security Fund in the next fiscal year.
New healthcare policies, which will go into effect on October 1, will provide better medical services to at least 100,000 ailing senior citizens nationwide. Dr. Ratchata expects this medical coverage will extend to an estimated one million senior citizens within the next three year, as the Kingdom prepares for its aging population.
The minister said more Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) will be given to senior citizens along with Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV), as soon as the new bills include IPV in the national list of essential medicine.
The new policies are also expected to provide unlimited prenatal care services and increase the scope of HIV-AIDS prevention measures.
