How Thailand Achieved ‘Good Health at Low Cost’? - ปัจจัยที่ทำให้ประเทศไทยบรรลุ การมีสุขภาพดีโดยไม่ต้องจ่ายแพง

Thailand has outperformed many other countries in improving maternal and child health outcomes, through using limited resources. Its total health expenditure has been less than 5% of gross domestic product since 1994. The Thai health systems have been developed with the focus on equitable access and use of essential health services. One of the key goals was to strengthen primary health care system with adequate geographical coverage and equitable distribution of health infrastructure and human resources for health throughout the country. Health financial risk protection in Thailand was firstly implemented in 1975 and being expanded until achieving universal health coverage in 2002. These developments resulted improvement in equitable access to and utilization of service, in particular mothers and children, and poor people living in the rural areas of the country. More equitable health resources allocation to rural poor setting has been improved through successive five-year national economic and social development plans and policies of the government in rural development. Influential and charismatic leaders are one of the main factors for the success in passing laws and policies supporting health system development. Other contributing factors to Thailand’s health system development and good health outcomes are peace without political turmoil or political conflict, rapid economic growth, poverty reduction, a high level of adults literacy rate, particularly in woman, and political participation of civil society and communities. Keywords: good health at low cost, maternal and child health, health system, non-health system