Site Visit made to Chulalongkorn Hospital for learning advanced medical technology and innovation, including the country’s largest health digital platform of Mor Prom application for fighting against

August 24, 2022, Chulalongkorn Hospital-Thai Red Cross Society: The Ministry of Public Health’s deputy permanent secretary and APEC’s attendees had a site tour to see medical technology and innovation in an accordance with BCG concept at KCMH Proton Centre with precise proton therapy for cancer treatment, Princess Sirindhorn Cranio Facial Center, Relief and Community Health Bureau, Thai Red Cross Society and the country’s largest healthcare digital platform Mor Prom.

The Ministry of Public Health’s executive team led by the ministry’s deputy permanent secretary Dr.Sura   Wisetsak and a group of APEC’s 80 attendees made a site visit to experience the country’s medical and public health development, which has taken innovative technology to achieve the government’s policy of Bio-Circular-Green Economy (BCG) model at Chulalongkorn Hospital-Thai Red Cross Society. It is one part of activity during APEC Health Week in August 22-26.

Dr. Sura explained that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused immense damages to the global economy, including APEC’s member countries. Hence, the APEC’s meeting this year has highlighted an importance of BCG policy to retrieve the economy in a sustainable, comprehensive and balanced way under the world’s rapid change. Technology and innovation are the key players for helping business developers reduce loss, add more value and take more responsibility on environment. The trip has included four showcases, representing the country’s medical and public health advance under the BCG’s concept. They are

1.KCMH Proton Centre, Chulalongkorn Hospital-Thai Red cross Society:  Located 15 metres below the earth’s surface, the centre is the first place in Southeast Asia region to provide proton therapy to cancer patients by using cyclotron accelerator for multiplying proton amounts to kill the cancer cells. By this method, healthy tissue is not impacted from the beam, and it helps the treatment more precise and effective, with less side-effects and better quality of life for the patients.

2.Princess Sirindhorn Cranio Facial Center: It is regarded as the largest Cranio facial centre in the Southeast Asia region, providing surgical operation to patients who have irregular face shape and skull since they were born, or from an accident. There are over 3,000 patients transferred from hospitals countrywide to receive the operation. It becomes the country’s significant learning school for both local and international medical experts. The centre is also famous for “Chula Technique”, which is specially designed for treating the patients living with Frontoethmoidal Encephalomeningocele that is now widely used worldwide.

3. Relief and Community Health Bureau, Thai Red Cross Society: It is a full-scaled service for relief and mitigation to people suffering from disaster by offering a support for the disaster preparation, an assistance while the disaster is exist and finally recovery stage. It maintains a mission to promote and support marginalized group for living with sustainability and impartiality through medical and public health service. All 13 Thai Red Cross stations are the key element to run the job, with its mobile medical team partners for eye treatment, surgery and surgical correction, including dental team.

4. Mor Prom Application:  It is a mobile application that was invented to respond the COVID-19 disease, aiming at an effective channel to communicate with the public, to help people access personal information of vaccination, together with self-assessment form after getting the vaccine. Right now, it is the largest health digital platform in the country, with over 32 million users via Line OA. Further development is made for the best health service to Thai people.

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