| Popis: |
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has ravaged the whole world since the outbreak began in December 2019. Nations and territories have experienced varying degrees of morbidity and mortality as direct effects of COVID-19. Despite being among the very first countries outside of China to encounter the full wrath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand was able to swiftly control and curb the first wave of the COVID-19 scourge. This investigation assessed the health effects of COVID-19 and the adequacy of the available healthcare resources in responding to the threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. As of January 24 and February 8, 2021, Thailand had reported a cumulative total of 13,500 COVID-19 cases and 79 deaths, respectively. During the first wave, cases increased rapidly from mid-March to mid-April, reaching a peak of 188 cases per day. The second wave hit Thailand towards the end of November 2020, and cases increased rapidly to reach a second peak of 745 confirmed COVID-19 cases on 4th January 2021. More COVID-19 related deaths were reported during the first wave. The evolving COVID-19 situation in Thailand was linked to an increase in the reporting of mental health issues. However, with time, there was a gradual decline in the proportion of people reporting high levels of anxiety. Public Health resources were strategically deployed to curb further spread of COVID-19. Across the 77 provinces in Thailand, professional nurses had the highest density per 100,000 population, followed by public health technical officers. However, within each category of health workers, huge variations existed among provinces. Besides the specialized healthcare workers, there were over a million village health volunteers across the country. The Ministry of Public Health ensured that distribution of medicines and medical supplies was dependent on the numbers of COVID-19 cases reported in each province. Available resources were adequate and were deployed in areas of greatest need in a timely fashion, and this could be one of the explanations why Thailand did not have a COVID-19 burden as bad as seen in other countries. |
