Khon Kaen University to be promoted as regional medical hub
Deputy Public Health
Minister Surawit Khonsomboon announced that a medical hub will be established
at Khon Kaen University (KKU) in order to extend medical services in all
specialised fields to both Thais and foreigners, according to the National News Bureau of Thailand (NNT).
The plan to set up the KKU medical hub will require a budget of THB4 billion.
Currently, the university’s Srinakarin
Hospital already has
THB1.6 billion in hand while the remaining THB 2.4 billion will be requested
from the government at the mobile cabinet meeting later this month.
Surawit explained that the Northeastern
region of Thailand
has a population of 22-23 million, which is higher than any part of the
country.
The university hospital’s potentials in
medical diagnosis and treatment are widely accepted and can be compared to that
of Bangkok
hospitals. Additionally, patients from neighboring countries in the Mekong
sub-region, including Myanmar,
Laos, South China, Cambodia and Vietnam, are traveling to Khon Kaen
for medical services.
Moreover, the upcoming establishment of the ASEAN Community will permit a free flow of workforce. Therefore, KKU is ready to become a regional medical hub given its geographic location and competent personnel.
This project also corresponds to the 11th
National Economic and Social Development Plan as well as the government’s
policy to elevate the quality of the country's medical establishments with
better services, modern equipments and specialised medical personnel. Thus, the
government is urged to provide financial support to the project.
Currently, medical hubs in other parts of Thailand are located in Mahidol University in central Thailand, Chiang Mai University in the North, and Prince of Songkla University in the South./.