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The Ministry of Health is strengthening healthcare services, health data systems and sector regulations while addressing gaps in maternal and child health, private healthcare oversight and financial management.
(KPL) Minister of Health Baykham Khattiya presented the ministry’s responses to questions from National Assembly members during the Second Ordinary Session of the 10th National Assembly on October 7, 2026.
The ministry said incomplete reporting from private healthcare facilities, population estimates, migration and difficult access to remote areas have affected the accuracy of maternal and child health and immunization indicators.
To improve monitoring, the ministry is implementing the National Strategy and Plan of Action for Reproductive, Maternal, Newborn and Child Health, with targeted immunization campaigns in disadvantaged districts and health centres. It is also upgrading the District Health Information Software 2 (DHIS2), incorporating data from the latest population census and moving towards real-time health reporting from central to grassroots levels.
The ministry is also piloting monthly monitoring of the nutritional status of children under five through DHIS2 in three provinces, with nationwide expansion planned following evaluation. Measures are also being strengthened to promote HIV prevention and monitor iodine levels in domestically produced and imported salt.
The ministry is tightening oversight of private healthcare and aesthetic centres. Nationwide inspections identified 46 authorised private hospitals, 23 medical centres, 2,076 clinics and 183 unauthorised aesthetic centres providing medical procedures. Unregistered facilities must meet required standards for infrastructure, personnel and medicines before they can obtain licences.
Healthcare quality is also being strengthened through the “5 Goods, 1 Satisfaction” policy. Internal assessments have been completed at 87 hospitals, while medical ethics training and professional standards are being reinforced.
To improve the availability of essential medicines and financial sustainability, the ministry is considering closer integration of health insurance and social security management under a unified legal framework. It is also streamlining medicine procurement and payment systems and advancing greater administrative and financial autonomy for hospitals.
The ministry said the measures are aimed at improving healthcare quality, strengthening accountability and ensuring more accessible and sustainable health services for the public.
KPL
