CHIANGMAI TIMES in ENGLISH Japan Provides Grant Assistance for People in Mountainous Areas in Uttaradit The Government of Japan Provided Grant Assistance for Procurement of an Ambulance for People in Mountainous Areas in Nampad District, Uttaradit Province. The Government of Japan, under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects Scheme (GGP), is providing funds amounting to 1,515,000 baht for “The Project for Procurement of an Ambulance for People in Mountainous Areas in Nampad District, Uttaradit Province”. On September 11, 2013, Mr. Akihiko Fujii, Consul-General of Japan in Chiang Mai, and Mr.Sombat Boonsaklert, Director of Nampad Hospital, jointly signed a funding contract for the project at the Consulate-General of Japan in Chiang Mai. Nampad district is surrounded by mountainous areas and the northeast part borders Laos. The majority of the population are Thai-Lao people engaged in agriculture. They live in a hard environment on poor hilly farmland. As a result, people survive in extreme poverty and suffer from chronic malnutrition, diarrhea, food poisoning, parasitic diseases and dengue fever. Unfavorable geographical conditions and poor maintenance mean that many roads in these steep mountainous areas are muddy or blocked in the rainy season, impeding access to health care. It is impossible for many to receive adequate medical services. Furthermore, we must remember that Nampad district suffered from large scale debris flow disaster, resulting in more than 2,000 victims during the September 2011 flood. Nampad hospital, which is the only government hospital in the district, covers 38,000 residents of 55 villages in 7 sub-districts, and treats about 62,000 cases a year. Moreover, it provides humanitarian treatment regardless of the expense, because there are many stateless residents from Laos. In order that more people can access its services, Nampad hospital has provided regular mobile clinics which include dentistry and prenatal checkups, targeting remote mountain villages. Moreover, the hospital also conducts referral services between villages and hospital for people who lack any other means of transport. However, because there is no four wheel drive ambulance, only a pickup truck which has neither bed nor life support equipment can be used to transport patients. Therefore, many patients lose vital time in receiving treatment. In response to a request from Nampad hospital, the Government of Japan has decided to provide funds for a four wheel drive ambulance with life support equipment for Nampad hospital. This will give patients better prospects for recovery through prompter treatment and transportation. In Northern Thailand, the Government of Japan has supported a number of medical institutions tackling health and medical problems in mountainous areas but this is the first example in Uttaradit Province through the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects Scheme (GGP). It is expected that this assistance for Nampad hospital will strengthen the emergency transport system and health services in Nampad district and neighboring areas, helping the medical services to reach all and reducing the regional disparity.
Posted on: Thu, 12 Sep 2013 15:46:57 +0000