A hospital in Ubon Ratchathani province appears to have softened its stance on the provision of services to Cambodian patients, apparently after being criticised for acting in breach of medical ethics.
Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital, a major medical facility in the province, issued an internal memo yesterday, stating that it would suspend services for new Cambodian patients and cease deploying Cambodian translators, due to ongoing tensions along the Thai-Cambodian border.
Cambodian patients already receiving treatment would be placed under strict zoning. The measures were to be effective from today until August 10.
In a statement issued today, however, the hospital has explained that it will continue to provide care for Cambodian patients based on humanitarian principles.
Ongoing treatment will continue as usual for existing inpatients, with appropriate care provided in line with current circumstances to ensure safety.
The hospital has also suspended proxy medication collections, due to restrictions on cross-border drug delivery. This has led to a significant backlog.
New Cambodian patients will still receive care on humanitarian grounds, especially emergency cases.
The hospital stressed that it prioritises the safety of all patients, be they Thais, foreigners, their family members or hospital staff. It also takes into account the safety of its premises and surrounding areas.
Due to current instability in the area, the hospital has adjusted non-urgent services, including the postponement of non-emergency surgeries and suspension of after-hours specialist clinics (SMC Premium).
These measures are part of internal resource management to adapt the hospital’s operations and service model, according to the hospital.
As for the temporary suspension of Cambodian-language interpreter services, the hospital cited the low number of Cambodian patients as the reason.
It claimed that there was an initial misunderstanding about the measures.
