The Thai Red Cross Society has offered to cut its own budget by Bt97.44 million to add to the funds contributed by ministries and other government agencies to deal with the Covid-19 crisis.
The Bt97.44 million was to be used for the renovation of the agency’s Kakkanang and Navamitrachenee buildings as well as for the construction of a research and innovation centre.
The government had previously called on all ministries to cut their budgets sand contribute to efforts to help people whose lives have been affected by the outbreak.
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30386628
Hospital director criticises govt for Bt3.6bn ‘cut’ to budget for health
The director of a local hospital in Songkhla province has criticised the government’s decision to redirect billions of baht from the health budget to fund Covid-19 preventive measures.
Supat Hasuwannakit, director of Chana Hospital, said on Facebook (April 23) that local hospitals had several expenses and all should be subsidised by the government.
On April 21, the Cabinet discussed cutting the budget for the Gold Card universal health programme by Bt2.4 billion dollars and asked for Bt1.2 billion from the Health Ministry to use for Covid-19 preventive measures, he said.
In the last three months, many state hospitals had received no money from the government, only face masks, alcohol gel and personal protective equipment, Supat said.
These hospitals were having to fund their operations with their savings and donated money, he added. In addition, hospitals had to find money to upgrade their facilities to cope with Covid-19.
It was understandable that the government was not able to subsidise local hospitals, Supat said, but cutting Bt3.6 billion off the budget for public health was not acceptable.
https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30386632
