Deputy Public Health Minister Dr. Surawit Khonsomboon announced that a medical hub will be established at Khon Kaen University (KKU) in order to extend medical services in all specialized fields to both Thais and foreigners.
The plan to set up the KKU medical hub will require a budget of THB4 billion. Currently, the university’s Srinakarin Hospital already has THB1.6 billion in hand while the remaining THB 2.4 billion will be requested from the government at the mobile cabinet meeting later this month.
Dr. Surawit explained that the Northeastern region of Thailand has a population of 22-23 million, which is higher than any part of the country. The university hospital’s potentials in medical diagnosis and treatment are widely accepted and can be compared to that of Bangkok hospitals. Additionally, patients from neighboring countries in the Mekong sub-region, including Myanmar, Laos, South China, Cambodia and Vietnam, are traveling to Khon Kaen for medical services. Moreover, the upcoming establishment of the ASEAN Community will permit a free flow of workforce. Therefore, KKU is ready to become a regional medical hub given its geographic location and competent personnel.
This project also corresponds to the Eleventh National Economic and Social Development Plan as well as the government’s policy to elevate the quality of the country’s medical establishments with better services, modern equipments and specialized medical personnel. Thus, the government is urged to provide financial support to the project.
Currently, medical hubs in other parts of Thailand are located in Mahidol University in central Thailand, Chiang Mai University in the North, and Prince of Songkla University in the South.
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