The projects will be financially supported by the Community Health Fund (CHF), a scheme managing by the NHSO that aims to empower local communities and engage them in health decision-making.
 
“We're inviting both local communities and organizations to submit project proposals to our committee,” said Jakkrit Ngowsiri, the NHSO deputy secretary-general.
 
“It’s proved during the COVID-19 outbreak that they have played a big role in preventing the spread of the disease. Their ideas through the proposals will be valuable.”
 
Wutthichai Wong-in, President of Phikun Ok Subdistrict Administrative Organization in Nakhon Nayok, said that the CHIF had provided the means for fighting the coronavirus, allowing his community to purchase and distribute masks, alcohol gel, thermometer, and food to residents.

His community also used the CHF fund for running an elderly care project. Around 22.6% of the local populations are senior citizens, he said, the CHF gives his chance to start an initiative that fits a regional demographic trend.
 
“We’ll keep supporting the projects that promote healthcare access in the post COVID-19,” said Veerachai Konmanee, director of the NHSO’s community health support unit. 
 
“One of our highlighted projects will be home care for patients with non-communicable diseases, so they don’t need to visit hospitals and expose to the coronavirus.”
 
The NHSO will also accept the proposals that enhance the capacity of village health volunteers, who could be trained to provide home-based care or deliver medicines from hospitals to patients’ homes.
The proposals may include children and elderly, the vulnerable population groups focused by the NHSO---such as screening coronavirus for students, improving children’s nutrition and access to vaccination, and educating elderly about health issues.  
 
“These are just some of the examples that we want to see in the proposals. But local communities and organizations can come up with other ideas too. We’re opening to every new possibility.”