World Health Day 2021 “Equity and inclusiveness”
 
Anutin Charnvirakul
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health
 
Statement by Mr. Anutin Charnvirakul Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health
World Health Day 2021 “Equity and inclusiveness”
 
How they are addressing the inequities including in COVID-19 context and How they propose to address inequities in health while building back better
on 7 April 2021
 
Advancing UHC has long been one of the top priorities of Thailand. Thai UHC safeguards equity in access to essential health services without financial hardship for everyone at all situations when needed, and in particular during the COVID pandemic. 
 
The Thai government commits to ensuring universal access to both COVID services and other essential health services.
 
Throughout the pandemic, the government has prepared emergency response funds for public and private hospitals to tackle the pandemic, covering everyone, including Thais and non-Thais through

the management of the UC Scheme. The budget covers the cost of screening and testing for people at risk, health services, and medical supplies relating to COVID including personal protective equipment, control room operations, patients’ quarantines and their meals, medication, and hospital transfer vehicles.
 
Part of the prepared budget for COVID is distributed to Local Administrative Organizations through the Community Health Fund, to empower local community level tracking of the coronavirus. Community and Civil Society Organization’s engagement is vital to the success of UHC in fighting against COVID. Thailand’s village health volunteers have been working to support the prevention, detection, and control of the pandemic.
 
 
In order to achieve equitable access for all groups of people, we must involve them in the decision-making process as well.
 
The Board of Thai UC Scheme is inclusive and transparent. As the Minister of Public Health, I am the chairperson of the Board. Among 30 board members, there are five health professionals and five civil society leaders representing nine groups of vulnerable and marginalized people. Monthly meetings of the Board are webcasted live, reflecting its transparency.
 
Participatory processes can ensure good governance of UHC only when partners play active roles in deliberations and negotiations in the Board meetings. This will ensure that UHC is a public policy owned by the people and governed by inclusive stakeholders.
 
This is what we call 4PW or Participatory Public Policy Processes based on Wisdom.
 
On World Health Day this year, I urge all partners in South-East Asia to truly fulfill the goals of health for all and leaving no one behind by promoting inclusivity of all key stakeholders in the decision-making processes and implementation of the UHC policy.
 
Equity is universal and not limited to the COVID context only. Translating UHC into real practice and strengthening it further as Thailand has done for almost two decades will help us not only fight the pandemic but also drive us all towards better and fairer health services for everyone.
 
Thank you.