Health Services

The Third National Economic and Social Development Plan
 (1972-1976).Chapter 15, p.232-233.

Date:     1972-1976

Source:     Office of the Prime Minister, National Economic and Social Development Board, Bangkok, Thailand

Subject:     health services, communicable diseases, immunization, malaria

2.  Diseases Control and Prevention

(a) Prevention of Communicable Diseases. During this Plan period a serious attempt will be made to control communicable diseases which can be prevented by effective measures. It is also intended to control, as much as feasible, communicable diseases for which there is as yet no effective prevention possible.

(1)Immunization against Communicable Diseases:

Vaccinate approximately 6.18 million persons annually against smallpox (newborns, pre-school children, and persons vaccinated more than 3 years ago). Vaccinate before the start of the hot season approximately 4.2 million persons, or 60 per cent of the population, against cholera in the provinces where outbreaks have been occurring, vaccinate approximately 1.03 million people annually against diphtheria, pertussia, and tetanus (infants and children under 5 year of age), vaccinate approximately 64,000 persons annually in Bangkok against poliomyelitis and vaccinate annually against typhoid in 15 provinces in the Northeast.

(2) Diseases Control and Preventive Measures

Efforts will be focused on various diseases, namely zoonosis, intestinal parasitic diseases, plaque, diseases brought in from other countries, hemorrhagic fever, and liver fluke.

(3) Treatment of Communicable Diseases:  

Provide hospital beds to the communicable disease hospital, to total 350 beds.

(b) National Malaria Eradication Programme

Improvements to this programme are being considered so that it will be consistent with the socio-economic expansion of the country. This new plan will be from 1971 onwards. During the Plan period the measures envisaged are as follows: one round of insecticide spraying per year in areas where endemic malaria is not widespread; two rounds of insecticide spraying in area where the disease is more widespread, new settlements and border areas. In malaria free areas the disease will be treated on a case by case basis by the general health services.

It is expected that the number of residents of malaria free areas will be 5.58 million in 1972, 13.29 million in 1973, 17.35 million in 1974, 23.02 million in 1975, and 29.39 million by the end of the Plan period in 1976.

Medical Care Services
1. Improvement of Provincial Hospitals

Improvement of the eighty-four general hospitals in regional areas (68 provincial hospitals and 16 district hospitals, totaling approximately 15,800 beds, 645 physicians, and 2,009 nurses) will be carried out. During the Plan period medical care services are to be made efficient and effective by increasing various categories of personnel, medical equipment, and various categories of drugs. The number of hospital beds will be increased by approximately 5,000. Personnel increases will include 100 physicians, 2,220 nurses, and 2,250 practical nurses. This expansion programme will enable hospitals to treat an average of approximately 4.1 million out-patients per year and 920,000 in-patients

2. Establishment of Regional Hospitals

The big regional hospitals will be improved so that they can be used as training centres for physiciants and other technical staff. Hospital to be established as regional hospitals during the plan total 14, namely Photachinaraj Hospital (Phisanulok), Sapasithiprasong Hospital (Ubon), Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital, Songkhla Hospital, Lampang Hospital, Khon Kaen Hospital, Chon Buri Hospital, Yala Hospital, Sawanpracharak Hospital (Nakhon Sawan), Chaopraya-Abhaibhubet Hospital (Prachin Buri), Ratchaburi Hospital, Chaoprayayomraj Hospital (Suphan Buri), Nakhon Si Thamarat Hospital and Chumphon Hospital.

The standards for these hospitals will be as follows: physician/nurse/bed ratios equals 1/4/10; more than 200 beds; as many specialists as possible in various fields; adequate equipment both for treatment and laboratory work.