Health Team Emergency Negotiations
Maung Chit Wine, age 31, comes from Irrawaddy division, Burma, arrived to southern part of Thailand one and half year ago. He now lives in Ban Niang and is working in construction site. On 17 February 2016, he was sent to Takuapa Hospital as he had difficulty in breathing. He had to stay in ICU room for 3 days and then he received treatment for total of 10 days at the hospital.
As he had no health insurance, the medical bill was 42, 622 THB for all medical treatment. He didn’t have that much amount of money to cover up his medical bill. He also received no assistance from his employer. So there was possibility that he would be handed to Thai police if he couldn’t pay for his medical bill. Therefore, one of our FED Health staffs, Mrs. Lady, who is a full-time health translator at the Takuapa Hospital, had helped negotiate with responsible health staffs of Takauapa Hospital by giving explanation of Maung Chit Wine’s situation and the income he made per month at the construction site. Finally, the Hospital agreed to charge him only 12,500 THB from total medical cost of 42,622 THB.
The FED Health program provides one full-time translator at the Hospital to assist with translation and interpretative services for the Burmese migrants who come to access health care in Thai Hospital. FED Health program provides health insurances to migrant families who are jobless and have financial crisis. The FED Health Program also prioritizes giving in support for the children, pregnant women, those who suffer from serious disease and have chronic disease to be able to obtain health insurances and receive treatment. Emergency responses are also carried out when it needs for migrant workers.
