Thailand is however making strides to protect its lower class from TB. There are five major "schemes" to help those struck by poverty in Thailand and it is of especial use to the Thai who do not have health insurance to benefit from these "schemes." The schemes are listed below as given in the Asian Tribune:
'1. The Thai social welfare programme is available in all public hospitals. This is funded by the government of Thailand to provide treatment and meet transportation costs of the poor patients, including those with active TB disease.
2. In 2007, the government of Thailand initiated the Community Health Fund (CHF) which is managed by the National Health Security Office (NHSO). There are about 7,848 Local Administrative Organizations (LAO) covering the entire country. Each LAO has the CHF to support health activities in the community and controls local health resources. TB activities supported by the CHF includes financial incentives for the DOT observers and living monthly allowance of Thai Baht (THB) 500 for each of those patients who are unable to earn their living, or meet their transportation costs, or need the money for food. Few LAO also support the TB activities because the local TB programme team members aren’t familiar with the mechanism to request financial resources.
3. The 'Thailand Relief Foundation for TB Patients' provides small funding for projects mainly supporting poor TB patients. For example this Foundation has supported nutrition programmes and programmes aimed to provide transportation costs to TB patients. This is not funded by the government but donations are the source of funding for this foundation.
4. The country budget at TB Bureau in Thailand procures the anti-TB drugs (both first-line and second-line drugs) for uninsured TB patients nationwide. In this year 2010, 1,500 people received first-line anti-TB drugs under this programme, and the cost of THB 3,570,000 was met by the TB Bureau in Thailand. In the same year, 220 people received second-line anti-TB drugs and the cost of which THB 7,637,300 was also met by TB Bureau of Thailand. In 2011, it is projected that 2000 insured people will be seeking first-line anti-TB drugs in Thailand and the cost of THB 4,760,486 will be met by the TB Bureau. Also in 2011, it is estimated that 155 uninsured people will seek second-line anti-TB drugs and the cost of THB 5,347,000 will be met by the TB Bureau of Thailand.
5. The Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) round-8 grant is also dedicated to mobilize political commitment for the government of Thailand's Community Health Fund (CHF) to secure TB funding at local level. This grant takes care of 2 or more food coupons for new TB patients (THB 200 or about 6-7 USD) during intensive and continuation phases of DOTS. It is also used to provide 16 food coupons to MDR-TB patients, and to provide the travel costs for children receiving isoniazid (INH) prophylaxis therapy (IPT) for preventing latent TB into becoming active TB disease. This grant is used to provide for emergency houses and travel costs for jail inmates as required when they are released before the treatment completion. This grant is used for capacity building activities of people living with HIV (PLHIV) for promoting access to TB care.'
The steps the Thai are taking to protect their citizens, especially the poor is really great to me. Developing nations all over the world should see this example and know that if a country like Thailand can afford to take a stance against TB, that it is possible for everyone to.
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| Patient with AIDS and TB -----Rupal Joshi |
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