Thailand’s National Health Security Office (NHSO) has partnered with the Public Health Ministry and the Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) to distribute 8.5 million COVID-19 antigen test kits (ATK) to hospitals and pharmacies nationwide.
Dr Kornkrit Limsommut, from the Public Health Ministry’s Office of the Permanent Secretary, said the ATKs will be distributed within a week of arrival. Each province should have at least 40,000 units by the end of September. Provinces with a larger population or higher prevalence of COVID-19 cases will get more kits.
The NHSO has established a strong network of pharmacies and private clinics, which have participated in the organization’s previous schemes, including the medicine home delivery and home isolation programs.
Of the 8.5 million kits imported, 1.5 million will be reserved for emergencies, such as the detection of new clusters, which requires the rapid dispatch of the kits to affected areas.
