Spokesperson says Covid-19 treatment budget adjustment will not affect quality of care

Following yesterday’s Cabinet meeting, a spokesperson explained the decision to decrease the budget covering Covid-19 treatment costs, saying the price of some medical supplies have gone down. He told reporters that the budget adjustment will not affect the quality of care for Covid-19 patients.

Thai media reports do not mention how much the budget is, but say medical centres and hospitals will receive a budget according to the number of patients and the category of the patients based on their symptoms. If patients want to get treatment at hospitals that are not on the government’s referral list, the costs will be at their expense.

The spokesperson added that the cost of RT-PCR tests and rapid antigen test kits, or ATKs, for hospitals have been reduced. Reports also note that the budget for Covid-19 medications Favipiravir and Remdesivir must be also claimed directly from the Ministry of Public Health.

SOURCE: Thai News Agency