PM:Thailand eyes to become regional hub on universal health services

BANGKOK, September 29 (TNA) - Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha says that Thailand has joined other fellow members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the 10-member bloc's dialogue partners, including China, Japan and South Korea, in establishing the Universal Health Coverage (UHC) network, in which Thailand would become a public health and universal health services hub in the region. The Thai prime minister made the remarks while addressing the 70th United Nations General Assembly annual session, being held in New York, entitled "the Path towards Universal Health Coverage:Promotion of Equitable Global Health and Human Security in the Post-2015 Development Era". Prime Minister General Prayut stressed that Thailand believes in international partnership and has, therefore, joined forces with other countries in establishing the "ASEAN+3 UHC Network". The Thai premier elaborated the programme calls for academic cooperation on public health with the Japanese government in an attempt to support global health. According to the prime minister, Thailand is ready to cooperate with every country and international organisation to achieve a universal health goal and, thus, leading to sustainable development so that people can live with happiness, security and wealth. The Thai prime minister pointed out that investment on human health is national investment for the good livelihood of people and social security, noting that his government has attached importance to people's good health so that they would become a vital power for national development. The prime minister stated that Thailand has achieved universal healthcare policy since 2002, reducing inequality between people in urban and rural areas and enabling people to have an easy access to public health services. The Thai leader is visiting the United States from September 24-30 to attend the UN General Assembly 2015. (TNA)