Project News

Khuntan Hospital is the main hospital for LTOP Model Services in Chiang Rai Site. The Government of Japan, under its Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects Scheme (GGP), decided to provide the funds amounting to 3,522,000 baht for "The Project for Improving the Home Medical Care System for Residents in Khuntan District, Chiang Rai Province". On October 19, 2015, Mr. Shinya Aoki, Consul-General of Japan in Chiang Mai and Mr. Khongsak Chaichana, Director of Khuntan Hospital jointly signed the funding contract at the Consulate-General of Japan in Chiang Mai.

Khuntan Hospital, Chiang Rai

Khuntan Hospital is the only public hospital in the district serving around 31,900 residents of 55 villages in 3 sub-districts. There are increasing numbers of elderly patients who needs care by their families such as bedridden patients and patients with severe chronic respiratory disease. For this reason, the hospital has been joining LTOP Model Services to support for the frail elderly, family care givers at community level.

The hospital provides a regular mobile clinic in cooperation with local health centers in order to provide medical care services at home for these patients. However, the hospital has no dedicated vehicle for the mobile clinic, so only about 40% of the entire mobile clinic plan has been implemented at present. It lends oxygen cylinders for the use of patients at home, but some of those patients are unable to pay the cost of replenishing the empty oxygen cylinders for economic reasons, which results in the worsening of symptoms. It also lends anti-bedsore air mattresses to bedridden patients, but the supply of mattresses is insufficient. As a result, some patients have developed severe bedsores and need extra medical care.

In response to a request from Khuntan Hospital, the Government of Japan will bear the costs of purchasing an ambulance for mobile clinic use, oxygen concentrators, anti-bedsore air mattresses and 5 electric wheelchairs. It is expected that this support will contribute to improving the home medical care system for the elderly in need of nursing care, the disabled and their families in Khuntan District.

LTOP Team has been supporting for this application such as introducing GGP, giving the recommendation for applying, and attending the hearing session at Consulate-General of Japan in Chiang Mai.

Khuntan Hospital has been working hard for elderly care, so it could get this fund. Also this news encourages to all LTOP members.

Photo of Signing Ceremony at Consulate-General of Japan in Chiang Mai
(The fourth from the right: Mr. Shinya Aoki, Consul-General of Japan in Chiang Mai)