Thread: Thailand medical system facing its biggest test as virus surges back

With COVID-19 cases now rising by more than 1,000 per day, many Thais are wondering whether the country’s healthcare sector will crumble under the pressure.


Despite the launch of field hospitals and “hospitels” (hotels turned into hospitals) concern is rising that the limited medical workforce may soon be overburdened.


Those fears intensified this week after the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced that 146 medics had come down with the disease. Thirty-three of the medics were infected at work, which also forced members of their team to quarantine.


Dr. Somsak Akksilp, director-general of the Medical Services Department played down the concerns, saying the number of infections in Thailand is still far too small to disrupt medical services. However, the new wave of infections is spreading faster than the two previous outbreaks early last year and in December.


What health protection does Thailand have?


Somsak said there are about 400,000 medical workers under the Public Health Ministry. If private hospitals are also taken into account, Thailand has an estimated total of 700,000 medical staff to tend to the population.


He explained that hospitals are dividing their staff into separate teams that are kept apart, so if one team is infected or quarantined, the others can keep working.


“Medical staff are required to eat alone, sitting at least a meter away from each other. Nobody is allowed to talk while eating,” he said.


Somsak added that field hospitals and hospitels require only small teams to tend to patients, with one nurse per 20 to 40 patients and one doctor per 100-200 patients.


Most COVID-positive patients at field hospitals and hospitels are either asymptomatic or have very mild symptoms. Those whose symptoms worsen are sent to hospital immediately.



Fears not groundless


Somsak warned, however, that medical services in some areas may be affected if a sizeable number of their staff gets infected or is forced to go into quarantine. For instance, more than 100 medical personnel in Udon Thani have recently been quarantined due to risk of infection.


Many major hospitals have advised regular patients to postpone their appointments if possible.

The King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital is receiving only critical or emergency cases until May 15 in order to focus on COVID-19 patients. “If you have no urgent medical needs, please avoid coming to the hospital,” says a post on the hospital’s Facebook page. “The number of COVID-19 patients has risen to a point where the hospital’s delivery of general services is affected while there is also a risk of transmission on the premises,” it explained.


Siriraj Hospital has also closed its first floor for outpatients from April 21 to 27 after some staff tested positive for COVID-19. “During this period, we will only tend to serious or emergency cases,” said the hospital’s director, Assoc Prof Dr Visit Vamvanij.


He advised regular patients to opt for telemedicine services and have their medication delivered to their home. Those willing to reschedule their appointments can do so on the Siriraj Connect app or by calling the hospital.


Ramathibodi Hospital has made a similar announcement, calling on outpatients to postpone their visits.




Can Thailand prevent a medical meltdown?


Thailand currently has 20,000 COVID-19 patients hospitalised – not a huge number compared to the size of the medical workforce. However, if the ongoing wave of COVID-19 infections continues, the collapse of the healthcare sector may be imminent given that medics also have to treat patients with other diseases.


Rewat Wisutwet, an opposition MP and medical doctor, recently warned that if Thailand’s health system and workers are overwhelmed, it would not just be COVID-19 patients that died, but also others who were denied treatment for serious diseases.


Thailand's medical system facing its biggest test as virus surges back | Thai PBS World : The latest Thai news in English, News Headlines, World News and News Broadcasts in both Thai and English. We bring Thailand to the world

I prepared for some of this. Discussed it with my heart doc early last year, and he agreed to slightly over prescribe. I have a six month stock of my meds, enough to skip a couple of visits.

^ How about getting a vaccine in you? Can your heart doc arrange for you to get one sooner rather than later?


Time now to use all connections to get a jab.

Originally Posted by misskit

^ How about getting a vaccine in you? Can your heart doc arrange for you to get one sooner rather than later?


Time now to use all connections to get a jab.

Last visit we discussed this, and he was not sure he was going to take the one the hospital was going to provide!!

I could easily pull on a string or two, and be next in line for the chinese one. Pass.

Will wait to i can get the one i pick.

Originally Posted by misskit

Somsak added that field hospitals and hospitels require only small teams to tend to patients, with one nurse per 20 to 40 patients and one doctor per 100-200 patients.

OK ...

Given the current performance of these buffoons one must assume that it is now policy for th country's population to gain herd immunity through infection from this current outbreak.

The refusal to lockdown in the face of the statistics and a 'R' rate of 1.8 seems to confirm this.

Here in Chonburi all restaurants and shopping malls ar open as are shops, sports halls and hotels.

With no meaningful vaccination programme under way this is beyond stupidity, it is simply insane.

Originally Posted by helge

OK ...

They're only monitoring. Anyone that needs more complicated treatment will be moved.

Thailand Set to Run Out of ICU Beds in 19 Days as COVID-19 Cases Reach Record Highs

Thailand is on track to reach full ICU bed capacity in the next 19 days as coronavirus cases and hospitalization reach record highs, the country's health authorities warned Friday.

Taweesilp Visanuyothin, a spokesman for the Center for COVID-19 Situation Administration, said Friday that the nation confirmed a daily record with 2,070 new COVID-19 cases. A day earlier, the country reported its highest-ever death count, with seven people succumbing to the virus, the Associated Press reported.


Visanuyothin warned that the latest outbreak is putting a severe strain on the country's hospital system and ICU capacity.


In Bangkok, which has the highest number of reported cases, there are only 69 empty ICU beds left out of approximately 400. At the current rate of demand, that equates to only enough beds for the next six to eight days.


At the beginning of March, Thailand had 26,031 cases with double-digit daily increases, but a new outbreak sent the numbers skyrocketing. Now, the new daily record brings the country's total case count to 50,183, with 121 recorded deaths.


Under Thai law, infected patients must be held in hospital facilities, but even with the addition of field hospitals there are not enough beds. There are 19,873 people in hospitals and field facilities nationwide, but in some areas that are short of beds, infected people are isolating at home.


But Thailand isn't the only Asia-Pacific region that's struggling to contain the virus.


India is now putting oxygen tankers on special express trains as major hospitals in New Delhi begged on social media for more supplies to save COVID-19 patients who are struggling to breathe. More than a dozen people died when an oxygen-fed fire ripped through a coronavirus ward in a populous western state.


India's underfunded health system is tattering as the world's worst coronavirus surge wears out the nation, which set another global record in daily infections for the second straight day with 332,730. The situation was worsening by the day with hospitals taking to social media pleading with the government to replenish their oxygen supplies and threatening to stop fresh admissions of patients. The government has started running Oxygen Express trains with tankers.


And in Japan, the country announced a third state of emergency for Tokyo and three western urban prefectures amid skepticism it will be enough to curb a rapid coronavirus resurgence ahead of the Olympics in July. The emergency for Tokyo, Osaka and its two western neighbors, Kyoto and Hyogo, will last from April 25 through mid-May.


It is largely intended as a short, intensive step to stop people from traveling and spreading the virus during Japan's "Golden Week" holidays. But experts and local leaders have said tougher measures are needed in the face of the rapidly spreading virus, limited vaccinations and public fatigue.


Thailand Set to Run Out of ICU Beds in 19 Days as COVID-19 Cases Reach Record Highs

Originally Posted by misskit

n Bangkok, which has the highest number of reported cases, there are only 69 empty ICU beds left out of approximately 400. At the current rate of demand, that equates to only enough beds for the next six to eight days.

really? PPPPP

^Huh?

Only 400 ICU beds in BKK (surely bolloix / misprint) ? how long has Thailand had to gear up, given its low infection rates over approx 1 year and now its a panic. Just an observation Kit.

Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

Originally Posted by harrybarracuda

They're only monitoring. Anyone that needs more complicated treatment will be moved.

Without knowing much, it does sound to good to be true

Constant change of protective gear and monitoring patients, as you say, is hardly something done only by looking at them.

They can't run these places like they usually run their government hospitals.

Relatives helping out is surely a no no


And the docs and nurses are on watch 24-7 ?


I don't know

Well the much lauded Thai great escape to date is surely going to unravel, in the year they have avoided the worst they have put nothing in place should the tables turn. Now, this shit hole is run by a military Govt and one thing you can usually guarantee is preparedness, except we are dealing with little Chinese chimps who only look after themselves and the profit of their families - God knows when Sausages pool will open.

Gamer Dies From COVID-19 After Trying Unsuccessfully to Seek Help From Hospitals


An e-sport player died of COVID-19 after spending five days in self-quarantine and trying unsuccessfully to seek help from hospitals after his symptoms worsened.


Kunlasub Wattnaphon said in a live stream on Facebook on 17th April that he had symptoms of COVID-19 and had been self-quarantined at home for 5 days.


He called several medical hotline numbers to seek help only to be told to contact other agencies. As a result, he could not find any hospitals to diagnose him and could not ask for an ambulance to take him to the hospital, he said.


During the live stream, he said his symptoms were severe, he could not drive to hospital and he did not want to take a taxi and risk spreading the disease.


He had a cough, a dry throat, loss of appetite, and had to drink three litres of water a day. He also had breathing difficulties.


On 21st April, he posted on Facebook that he was admitted to hospital and was diagnosed with COVID-19. The virus had attacked his lungs and he was put on a respirator. Doctors said his symptoms were severe partly because of his obesity.


He asked his friend to provide updates on his condition on his Facebook page. His lung function was only about 20% and he had to remain in ICU indefinitely. About 10.22pm on Friday, he had a heart attack. Doctors tried to bring him around. At 11.26pm, his friend posted on his Facebook that he had died.


Deputy Public Health Minister Sathit Pitutecha on Saturday offered his condolences to the family and apologised for the slow process in admitting COVID-19 patients with severe symptoms as in this case. “Generally, if a patient receives medication in a timely fashion, this will help reduce severe symptoms. In the current situation, doctors have their hands full and hospitals are overloaded,” he said.


Gamer Dies From COVID-19 After Trying Unsuccessfully to Seek Help From Hospitals | Chiang Mai One

What concerns me is that these fucking idiots are implying that his BMI was a cause of his cytokine storm and lung impairment.

No-one knows why some succumb so quickly but it seems a genetic characteristic within the immune system is likely.

Originally Posted by strigils

Only 400 ICU beds in BKK (surely bolloix / misprint) ? how long has Thailand had to gear up, given its low infection rates over approx 1 year and now its a panic. Just an observation Kit.

Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance

The entire country has around 6,000 ICU beds and apparently 10,000 ventilators according to reports last year.

here is an interesting paper that explores the link between covid deaths and obesity.

Obesity and COVID-19: what makes obese host so vulnerable? | Immunity & Ageing | Full Text

Are any of you guys considering packing up your bags with the family and getting out for a period of time ? Maybe a year and then re-assess?

From a distance it looks like Thailand is looking at a disaster worse than India's.

Originally Posted by russellsimpson

Are any of you guys considering packing up your bags with the family and getting out for a period of time ? Maybe a year and then re-assess?

From a distance it looks like Thailand is looking at a disaster worse than India's.

British Columbia's numbers are currently much worse than Thailands. Are you considering packing up?

Originally Posted by russellsimpson

Are any of you guys considering packing up your bags with the family and getting out for a period of time ? Maybe a year and then re-assess?

From a distance it looks like Thailand is looking at a disaster worse than India's.

Oh dear.
Really?


Why do you bother?

Originally Posted by russellsimpson

Are any of you guys considering packing up your bags with the family and getting out for a period of time ? Maybe a year and then re-assess?

From a distance it looks like Thailand is looking at a disaster worse than India's.

A daft hippie who reveals his true colours about the brown people every time he opens his mouth.

Russell when you lived here you did not have a clue about Thai culture. Never even ventured out of the south. So why now do you think you are an expert on Thai healthcare?

Originally Posted by aging one

So why now do you think you are an expert on Thai healthcare?

He's not an expert on BC Healthcare either.

'At a breaking point': Some B.C. hospitals at capacity as warnings grow | CTV News

It appears to me that Russell has never claimed to be an expert, but is simply giving his opinion.

He is perfectly entitled to do this as a member of this forum.