The Ministry of Public Health reveals that domestic drug reserves are sufficient for 3 months. If the crisis is prolonged, herbal medicines can be used as an alternative.
The Ministry of Public Health reveals that domestic reserves of medicines and medical supplies are sufficient for at least three months, should the Middle East conflict drag on, in which case herbal medicines may be used as substitutes.
Date 18 March 2569 at 13.55:XNUMX p.m. Dr. Somruk Chungsaman, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health. It has been revealed that, due to the unrest in the Middle East, Mr. Pattana Promphat, Minister of Public Health, has emphasized the importance of drug and medical supply security to prevent disruption to public services. He has assigned the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to closely monitor the nationwide drug and medical supply reserve system.
The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently reported that there are no shortages of raw materials, finished drugs, and essential medical supplies for life-saving procedures, surgery, and emergencies, and that there are sufficient reserves for at least three months.
A framework has been established to list 63 essential medicines and medical supplies, prioritized according to needs, with weekly inventory monitoring. This also involves identifying additional alternative sources of raw materials for medicines and medical supplies to mitigate reliance on production in conflict zones. Furthermore, the determination of benchmark drug prices is being reviewed in response to rising drug costs.
This includes considering the use of alternative packaging to plastic, or finding ways to sterilize packaging if reuse is necessary, as most plastic raw materials are sourced in the Middle East, facilitating the import of essential medicines and medical supplies. At the same time, all healthcare facilities have been asked to refrain from ordering unnecessary medicines and medical supplies and to expedite the settlement of outstanding medical supply debts in order to improve financial liquidity in the system.
Dr. Somruk further stated that, regarding the energy crisis that may affect the electricity and fuel supply in healthcare facilities, he has instructed all units to implement energy saving measures. He also directed provincial public health offices nationwide to assess the risks and impacts of the oil crisis and develop business continuity plans (BCPs) for their respective provinces in case of an energy crisis. Furthermore, he urged the acceleration of the installation of solar power systems to ensure the continuous provision of patient services.
If the situation is prolonged and affects conventional medicine, consider using herbal medicines from the National List of Essential Herbal Medicines (32 items) as alternatives. These cover a wide range of symptoms, such as colds (Andrographis paniculata/Emblica officinalis), muscle pain (Citrus aurantium var. ginseng/Zingiber cassumunar cream), numbness from hemiplegia/paralysis (Cannabis oil/Tamrahai Phra Sumero herbal formula), and insomnia (Cannabis oil/Sukhasaiyasana herbal formula), etc.
refer : pr.moph.go.th
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