Umphang Hospital appeals for unexpired medication donations amid supply shortage

A call for public assistance has been issued by Umphang Hospital, a state-run facility located in the border district of Tak’s northern province.

As supplies dwindle, the hospital is appealing for donations of unexpired medication, previously prescribed for other illnesses.

Dr Worawit Tantiwattanasap, the director of Umphang Hospital, shared the situation yesterday, December 5. According to him, the hospital is currently struggling with a lack of funds to provide adequate care for the influx of stateless individuals and Myanmar nationals seeking medical treatment in Thailand.

Interestingly, these patients, lacking coverage from Thai insurance schemes, account for a significant 21% of the hospital’s total caseload, he revealed.

A notable increase in patients from Myanmar has been observed, especially given the escalating violence in the neighbouring country. This has resulted in a strain on Myanmar’s healthcare system, necessitating many to seek treatment across the border.

In order to ensure the effectiveness of the donated drugs, the hospital assigns a new, shorter expiry date to each medication post inspection and sorting, the director explained. These newly assigned expiry dates typically range from three to six months.

However, not all donations have been beneficial. Dr Worawit disclosed that over the past three months, since the hospital’s initial appeal, 422 kilogrammes of donated medicines had to be disposed of. These medicines were found to be unusable, reported Bangkok Post.

To prevent such wastage, he encouraged prospective donors to verify the expiry dates and storage conditions of the drugs they plan to donate. Ensuring the medications are within their expiry period and well-stored will significantly benefit the hospital’s cause.

In related news, a British citizen‘s tropical holiday in Thailand has turned into a desperate battle for survival, as he faces suspected leukaemia in dire hospital conditions. Dean Penson, a British citizen from Southend-on-Sea, who looked forward to a blissful break in Thailand’s Phuket, now finds himself trapped in the nightmarish Vachira Phuket Hospital. Read more about this story HERE.