The National Committee on AIDS Prevention and Alleviation (NHSO) approved the use of HIV Self-Test test kits to encourage all hospitals to continuously improve the quality of their services. benefit “HIV self-screening kit” and “Hepatitis B and C virus screening” provide patients with quick access to treatment.
March 15, 2023 at the Chainat Rainthorn Conference Room Office of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Public Health, Nonthaburi Province Dr. Opas Karkawinphong Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health chaired the 1/2023 National Committee on AIDS Prevention and Alleviation (NorPorPorChor.) meeting with qualified members attending the meeting and said that the Ministry of Public Health In collaboration with the National Health Security Board To increase the types and scope of public health services in the national health security system, namely:
HIV self-screening test kit service
1. HIV self-screening test kit service This promotes easy access screening. It is voluntary and confidential. Helps to encourage normal checkups. As a result, people with risky behaviors were examined more. And the infected person enters the treatment system faster. To solve the problem of delayed access to HIV diagnosis and treatment services It can be seen from the data in 2022 that among 17,809 newly diagnosed HIV-infected people, 52% were aware of their late infection status. They are diagnosed with HIV when their immune levels are very low. (CD4 count less than 200) or already sick from opportunistic infections
Screening for hepatitis B and C viruses
2. Screening for hepatitis B and C in the general population born before 1992, with one test throughout life. and hepatitis B and C virus screening in 5 risk populations (HIV-infected) injecting drug users, inmates, health personnel and men who have sex with men) once a year so that people infected with chronic hepatitis B and C receive rapid treatment according to standards. Reduce the chance of severe illness Reduce the incidence of cirrhosis and liver cancer. and reduce deaths Especially hepatitis C, which can be cured by medication. The target group of people can receive the service free of charge.
by serving both parts between the National Health Security Office Establish criteria, methods, conditions for payment of compensation for providing services to service units. Has assigned the Department of Disease Control and relevant agencies to coordinate the preparation period and the date that the service will begin. for the public to know and access the service as soon as possible
Driving to end the AIDS problem
In addition, the sub-committee driving the end of AIDS problems It has been approved to establish a working group to drive the implementation of HIV care system quality improvement at the national level to monitor the quality of service provision and to encourage all hospitals to continuously and sustainably improve the quality of their services. To provide HIV-infected people with quality, standardized and timely services. Antiretroviral therapy can be treated within the same day as diagnosis. And taking the medicine continuously until the virus can be suppressed in the body successfully lead to a normal life reduce illness and reduce deaths from opportunistic infectious diseases.
The meeting also approved (draft) the Thailand AIDS Action Plan 2023-2026, along with the appointment of the chairman of the Subcommittee on Promotion and Protection of AIDS Rights. This will play an important role in driving AIDS work from all sectors, including the public, private and civil society sectors. To accelerate the push to end the AIDS problem in Thailand by 2030
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