Doctors on a mission: Time for a prescription for change

A group of furious doctors launched a passionate petition to Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, demanding urgent action to tackle the dire state of Thailand’s public health system.

Spearheaded by Clinical Professor Emeritus Dr Amnaj Kussalanan, a former president of the Medical Council of Thailand, the petition was formally handed over at the Ministry of Public Health, where Dr Watchai Charoonwattana, adviser to Minister Somsak Thepsutin, received it with a sense of urgency.

The petition shines a spotlight on three critical areas desperately in need of reform: boosting the public health budget, revamping health policies, and fortifying protections for doctors and healthcare staff.

Dr Amnaj stressed that better budget management and adequate funding for hospitals under the universal healthcare scheme are non-negotiable. He warned that the current financial squeeze could force hospitals to forgo essential examinations or settle for inferior medications, pushing the system towards a catastrophic collapse.

“If the budget falls short, hospitals may have to skip vital tests or opt for subpar drugs, which could ultimately lead to the system’s downfall.”

Among the bold recommendations is the introduction of patient co-payments to ease the financial strain on hospitals and help them uphold service standards. Furthermore, the petition calls for a comprehensive public health policy that promotes wellness among the population, which would, in turn, lighten the load on government medical services, Dr Amnaj said.

“The promotion of public health must be a national priority. Keeping people healthy means lower medical costs. This approach costs nothing but could safeguard the national healthcare budget for years to come.”

The group also demands fair pay and manageable workloads for doctors, aiming to prevent burnout and ensure they have enough time to thoroughly assess cases while maintaining a healthy work-life balance, Bangkok Post reported.

Additionally, Dr Amnaj has called for robust legal protections for doctors, a move aimed at curbing the alarming brain drain in the profession. The petition suggests measures to shield doctors from legal liabilities, encouraging them to continue their vital work without the fear of litigation hanging over their heads.

By tackling these key issues head-on, the doctors’ group is hoping for a radical overhaul of the public health system, ensuring it remains both sustainable and effective in delivering quality care to the Thai people. The proposed changes aim to foster a more supportive and secure environment for medical professionals, ultimately benefitting the entire healthcare framework.