Push forward a healthcare program for non-Thai prisoners
 
National Health Security Office (NHSO) pushes forward a healthcare program for non-Thai prisoners in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and Public Health Ministry. 
 
On April 5, the NHSO board chaired by Public Health Minister Anutin Charnvirakul had the resolution to push forward a healthcare program for non-Thai prisoners proposed by the Ministry of Justice.
 
NHSO Secretary-General Dr Jadej Thammathat-Aree revealed that 5.65% of inmates in Thailand, or around 19,000, are non-Thai. Among them are undocumented people (4,000) and foreigners (15,000) who are not covered by any healthcare schemes and health insurance.
 
Without healthcare coverage, public hospitals providing humanitarian healthcare services in prisons must carry a financial burden. According to Public Health Ministry, which runs public hospitals, hospital operators must pay between 13 and 14 million baht annually to cover the healthcare cost for non-Thai prisoners.
 
Meanwhile, Thai inmates are covered by the Universal Coverage Scheme (UCS), which provides healthcare access to 47 million Thais regardless of their social and financial status.
 
To solve this challenge, the Ministry of Justice, which operates prisons across Thailand, requested the Thai cabinet's approval to set a healthcare fund for non-Thai inmates. After receiving the request, the Secretariat of the Cabinet (SoC) turned to the NHSO for a recommendation.
 
"NHSO board supports the Ministry of Justice's request. We agree that non-Thai prisoners shall access healthcare with no differences from others," said Dr Jadej, adding that the NHSO board will pass its recommendation to the SoC.
 
If it is approved, the fund will cover essential healthcare services for around 16,000 inmates at an early stage of a program. About 13.71 million baht will be required annually.
 
The source of the fund will come from Public Health Ministry and the central government.
NHSO, of which staff has high experience managing the healthcare program for vulnerable populations, will take responsibility in providing and managing the fund after the program is firmly established.