(06/09/2012)
The Government has attached great importance to the policy on disaster prevention and mitigation in order to deal with natural disasters, especially floods, in a systematic manner.
Deputy Public Health Minister Surawit Khonsomboon stated that natural disasters are now taking place more often all over the world. Following the flood crisis in 2011 in Thailand, a research study has been undertaken in preparation for possible severe floods in the future.
Mr. Surawit said that the Ministry of Public Health had learned many lessons from the floods, prompting it to adjust working methods and to launch proactive operations to help flood-hit people. For instance, it arranged special health teams to provide medical services for people in various affected communities and it opened the 1667 hotline to receive complaints about stagnant water and the problem of mosquitoes.
According to the Deputy Director-General of the National Statistical Office, Mrs. Rajana Netsaengtip, a survey conducted between July and December 2011 shows that 61 provinces in Thailand were hit by the flood crisis. A total of 3.9 million families, accounting for 19 percent of all households in Thailand, were affected. These families consisted of 12.9 million family members, representing 19.6 percent of Thailand’s population.
The survey also indicates that 51 percent of people living in flooded areas did not know how to swim and that only a small number of children, aged below 15, could swim. Concerning public health, about eight percent of family members died or became sick from the flooding situation.
Meanwhile, Professor Dr. Paiboon Suriyawongpaisal, a researcher at the Health System Research Institute, said that the 2011 flood crisis caused economic losses of 1.4 trillion baht. More than 36 million rai, or about 14 million acres, of farmland were inundated. As a consequence, 12 million people were affected, and at least 800 lost their lives. Almost 5.4 million people had to move out from their homes, and around 650,000 people became jobless.
The researcher pointed out that effective medical and public health management would play an important role in providing a quick response to the flooding situation.
The research study proposed that the Ministry of Public Health should focus on working out and revising contingency plans and launching regular drills. It suggested that the Ministry of Public Health establish disaster evacuation centers across the country, with various activities, such as recreation, religious practices, and food sanitation.
Moreover, the study said that people should be equipped with knowledge about first aid and rescue operations, as well.
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