BANGKOK, Nov 6 – Thailand through its Health Systems Research Institute (HSRI) agreed with Canada today on joint research efforts to tackle chronic diseases.
Alain Beaudet, president of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), arrived at Government House to invite Thailand to become a member in Canada’s Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD).
Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country that Canada is inviting to join the alliance due to Thailand’s potential and readiness.
The Thai government assigned HSRI Director Somkiat Wattanasirichaigoon to sign the membership agreement. It is aimed at supporting international health research and cutting government expenses relating to chronic diseases.
Prof Dr Somkiat said that the five most common chronic diseases killing Thai people were chronic diseases resulting from drinking and smoking, coronary artery disease, diabetes, traffic accidents and cancers.
They cost the government more money each year, with the expense expected to exceed 6.6 per cent of Thailand’s gross domestic product in 2019.
He hopes that membership in the alliance will help support international health research and reduce health expenses of the Thai government.
Mr Beaudet said collaboration on chronic disease research is important for public health as chronic diseases were major problems in most countries.
The GACD is a new kind of cooperation between developed and developing countries on such research and practices to prevent such diseases and treat patients, he said.
