Originally Posted by
Seekingasylum
Last year the relevant ministry stated there were approximately 6,000 ICU beds in the whole of Thailand with around 10,000 ventilators. In an interim report in April 2020 relating to Bangkok they stated there would be 292 ICU beds available by May from government, private and academic sectors. Last week we are told by leading health officials that there were 23 ICU beds left from their original tranche and the system was now up to capacity. Personally, I think the total countrywide statistics are inflated and to be taken with a large pinch of salt.
The problem of course is not only the equipment but the availability of trained personnel and specialised nursing staff qualified in providing respiratory therapy. Some perspective is needed here. The UK with an annual budget of £120 billions has a total staff of 1 million including 138,000 doctors and 300,000 nurses. For a similar sized population Thailand has approx. 28,000 doctors and 200,000 nurses.
At the height of the third wave the UK was having to ration ICU care and 'euthanised' patients over 80 years old.
If Thailand does not reduce the 'R' rate and get a grip of this latest outbreak then the Thai health service will be overwhelmed. Talk of converting geriatric hospitals and creating more 'field' hospitals is merely pap for PR consumption churned out by the regime shills.