Phuket’s Chalong hospital officially opens, boosting local healthcare

The long-awaited opening of Chalong Hospital in Phuket was officially inaugurated by the Minister of Public Health, Dr Cholnan Srikaew. The hospital, which had its soft opening back in November 2019, had its grand opening postponed due to the global pandemic.

The opening ceremony was marked with a nod to the generous benefactors whose contributions enabled the establishment of the hospital. Among the main contributors were Kao Areerob, gifting a vast tract of land, and Luan Kraitat, who financed the construction of the Suksala building, a dedicated facility for additional medical services. The primary objective of these donations was to enhance healthcare facilities and medical treatments for both residents and tourists in the surrounding areas, including Chalong, Karon, and Rawai.

The hospital’s strategic location is set to considerably reduce the time for people living in the southern part of the island to access emergency medical treatment. This in turn is expected to ease congestion at Vachira Phuket Hospital located in Phuket Town, according to Dr Cholnan. It is noteworthy that the southern part of the island is home to approximately 54,227 residents.

Chalong Hospital represents the fourth government-run hospital on the island. The facility was upgraded from an F2 community hospital to an F1 level community hospital with 30 beds, and an operational bed capacity of 48, as approved on October 24 last year. The hospital now accommodates 32 general inpatient beds, 12 special inpatient beds, and four postpartum sick beds.

The upgrade aligns with the Ministry’s policy and plans to fast-track development within Quick Win 100 days in the realm of community hospital development, reinforcing its capacity to support secondary-level patient care.

Presently, the hospital offers a wide range of services including general outpatient examinations across four examination rooms. Specialised clinics include respiratory disease clinics, health education clinics, smoking and alcohol cessation clinics, newborn vaccination clinics, and a variety of other specialized services.

Safety standards

Dr Cholnan also unveiled the Minister of Public Health’s pledge to assist Phuket in its ambition to become a safe destination for tourists through the Safety Phuket Island Sandbox initiative. This initiative is aimed at enhancing health safety standards, with a focus on modern disease control, advanced disease surveillance, and swift emergency response measures.

In alignment with the government’s vision to boost the country’s economy through tourism, attention is being placed on Phuket due to its global reputation as a tourist hotspot, attracting numerous Thai and international visitors each year.

The Minister of Public Health is actively supporting the island in becoming a leading province for medically safe tourism cities under the Medical Tourist Safety banner. This includes comprehensive care for critically ill patients and emergency transfers facilitated by air, also known as Sky Doctor services.

The emphasis is being placed on upgrading the infrastructure to cater to the health needs of the community. This includes modernizing community hospitals with state-of-the-art equipment, enabling the diagnosis and treatment of more complex diseases, and instilling confidence among both residents and tourists, reported Phuket News.