BANGKOK, 15 May 2019 (NNT) - The Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) has dispatched 961 newly graduated doctors to work in their hometowns in remote rural areas throughout the country, to boost the expansion of medical and public health services to solve the problem of a shortage of doctors in rural areas.


MOPH Permanent Secretary Dr. Sukhum Kanjanaphimai presided over the granting of certificates to medical graduates in the project to produce doctors for rural areas, in academic year 2018. It is a collaboration between the Ministry of Education and the MOPH to solve the shortage of doctors in Thailand and promote an appropriate distribution of doctors to rural areas. This will complement the health service system of Thailand and lead to equality of social services supporting the expansion of medical and public health services in Thailand.


Producing additional doctors for rural localities is a reflection of cooperation by the Faculty of Medicine of various universities to select students in rural areas to receive scholarships from the MOPH to study in a medical program for six years. The project is in two phases: Phase 1, 2018 to 2021, targeting more than 4700 medical students and Phase 2, 2022 to 2027, targeting more than 7700 people. Medical students involved in the project in the 1st to 3rd years of study, attend the cooperative medical faculty. Medical students in the project from the 4th to 6th year, study at the clinical medical education center of regional hospitals, and general hospitals under the MOPH. After graduation, most of the new doctors must undertake work in their hometowns, as compensation for their scholarships. They are appointed to positions at local hospitals under the MOPH for three years.


Currently, 77 percent of doctors in the project to produce additional doctors to assist rural people are in the system. There are 961 graduates in the academic year 2018.


National News Bureau Of Thailand