Health minister distances himself from bid to dismiss rural doctor chief
Mr Somsak said he had not seen the result of the investigation by a panel set up by the Public Health Ministry on a possibly serious breach of discipline by Dr Supat related to the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines during the outbreak.
But the minister said he would play by the book when the outcome reached his hands to make the decision, adding he was open to a meeting to let him defend against the accusation.
Mr Somsak denied the ministry intentionally targeted Dr Supat, saying the office did not have enough manpower to look into similar cases in other hospitals and no complaints from other healthcare offices had been filed with the ministry.
The allegation occurred when Anutin Charnvirakul was the public health minister.
Dr Supat, who is the director of Saba Yoi Hospital, said on his Facebook post on Saturday he could be ordered to resign or simply be sacked from the bureaucracy over alleged irregularities in the procurement of antigen test kits during the Covid-19 outbreak. The purchase was made when he was the director of Chana Hospital in Chana district of Songkhla province.
Dr Supat was transferred to a smaller district hospital in Saba Yoi in the same province in 2023.
He denied wrongdoing and said he had not violated state procurement regulations.
Dr Supat accused Opas Karnwawingpong, the permanent secretary for public health, of being the person behind the move to oust him as he and other members of the Rural Doctor Society had strongly criticised the Disease Control Department for mishandling the coronavirus vaccines. Dr Opas was the department director-general when the country was beset by the fatal virus starting in 2022.
He alleged Dr Opas wanted to see him end his career before the permanent secretary retires at the end of September.
Dr Supat told Hfocus, an online platform dedicated to health issues, that his strong criticism of the ministry's management of the coronavirus situation, as well as his opposition to the cannabis policy and a plan to build an industrial complex project in Chana, were behind the attempt to purge him.
Dr Opas refused to talk about the issue on Monday although he stood beside the minister as he talked to reporters.
Residents and activists in Songkhla and other provinces have shown support for Dr Supat since he posted the message about his destiny, which was widely shared online.
Dr Supat on Sunday thanked all supporters who came out in person, in public and online against the ministry's attempt to axe him from the job.
"Thank you for all your support. We'll fight together," he wrote in his Facebook post on Sunday.
Dr Supat met with some villagers and activists who held a rally to back him on a beach in Chana district in Songkhla province on Sunday.
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Bangkok Post
2 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Fair probe for 'ATK doctor'
When Dr Supat Hasuwannakit, chair of the Rural Doctor Society, led a mission to help Bangkok combat the deadly Covid-19 pandemic in 2021 by providing ATK test kits, he won plaudits and awards from the government. However, his good deeds have now put the doctor in hot water as he is being investigated for alleged missteps in antigen test kit (ATK) procurement for the mission. Back in 2021, several communities were cut off from health services, all hospitals were inundated with patients, and ATKs were expensive and almost impossible to find. The mission, joined by Mr Supat's colleagues from the same society who work in provincial hospitals together with volunteers, helped bridge the gap. The mission, completed in three visits, was carried out with financial support from the National Health Security Office (NHSO), not the Health Ministry. Dr Supat's Facebook post, "I am going to be dismissed," on Monday came as a shock to society. He said he was being probed for the ATK purchases made for the anti-Covid mission by the Health Ministry, which has claimed the decision to buy the kits in batches, instead of a one-time purchase, breached procurement regulations. The Rural Doctor Society, however, insisted that the prices of ATKs for the mission were lower than those bought by the ministry. Needless to say, the probe has put the ministry in the hot seat. A number of social activists participated in the "savedrsupat" campaign as they see the inquiry as an example of foul play by those in the minitry's administration. Yesterday, major civil society organisations in Bangkok, including the Four Regions Slum Network, called for the government to reveal details of the probe to ensure transparency and that the doctor is treated fairly. The network said it was known that ATKs, which were in high demand during the pandemic, were hard to find, and Dr Supat's mission was indeed helpful. They also claimed it was an open fact that state procurement regulations are too rigid and, in most cases, attach excessive importance to details that make them mostly irrelevant, if not heavily restricted, in times of crisis. Some pundits suspect internal politics may be at play. The doctor is known for his outside-the-box thinking and for being a vocal critic of the Southern Land Bridge project and petrochemical industrial complex sites in the southern region. In 2023, the Health Ministry issued a lightning order, transferring him from Chana Hospital to Saba Yoi Hospital, in what was seen as a form of punishment. The problem is that the ministry is not keeping the public properly updated about the investigation. Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin recently told the media the ministry needs to adhere to all the procurement regulations, which was hardly very helpful. Should the probe committee and the ministry decide that Dr Supat is guilty of breaking procurement rules, or any other lapses, they must ensure the penalties are proportionate, meaning they must prove how such an act causes damage. They must also come clean if it is the purchase or the regulation that is the real problem. Without providing proof of a fairly conducted investigation, simply penalising the doctor would risk demoralising other officials and tarnishing the ministry's image.
Bangkok Post
3 days ago
- Bangkok Post
'ATK doctor' faces wait for inquiry results
Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin denied any knowledge of the disciplinary committee's findings regarding antigen test kit (ATK) procurement by a well-known doctor in 2021, stating that the results have not yet been submitted to him. At a recent Senate meeting verbal interpellation, Mr Somsak responded to a question from Senator Thewarit Maneechai regarding the disciplinary investigation against Dr Suphat Hasuwannakit, director of Saba Yoi Hospital in Songkhla and president of the Rural Doctor Society, related to the procurement of Covid-19 ATKs during the height of the pandemic in 2021. Mr Somsak explained that the investigation was initiated following complaints and led to internal audits at Chana Hospital and Ranod Hospital in Songkhla. The audits, conducted in 2023, uncovered alleged irregularities in procurement processes, particularly the division of purchases into smaller contracts. As a result, a formal disciplinary committee was set up to investigate the case. The committee changed members three times and delivered its findings on Friday. However, the findings must remain confidential for now. Mr Somsak said the findings and accompanying documents must first be submitted to the public health permanent secretary, Dr Opas Karnkawinpong, and discussed during a meeting with the Office of the Civil Service Commission's subcommittees next month.
Bangkok Post
4 days ago
- Bangkok Post
Health minister distances himself from bid to dismiss rural doctor chief
Public Health Minister Somsak Theptusin said on Monday he was unaware of an attempt to axe Supat Hasuwannakit, the Rural Doctor Club president, from the bureaucracy as a probe into his alleged wrongdoing took place before his tenure. Mr Somsak said he had not seen the result of the investigation by a panel set up by the Public Health Ministry on a possibly serious breach of discipline by Dr Supat related to the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines during the outbreak. But the minister said he would play by the book when the outcome reached his hands to make the decision, adding he was open to a meeting to let him defend against the accusation. Mr Somsak denied the ministry intentionally targeted Dr Supat, saying the office did not have enough manpower to look into similar cases in other hospitals and no complaints from other healthcare offices had been filed with the ministry. The allegation occurred when Anutin Charnvirakul was the public health minister. Dr Supat, who is the director of Saba Yoi Hospital, said on his Facebook post on Saturday he could be ordered to resign or simply be sacked from the bureaucracy over alleged irregularities in the procurement of antigen test kits during the Covid-19 outbreak. The purchase was made when he was the director of Chana Hospital in Chana district of Songkhla province. Dr Supat was transferred to a smaller district hospital in Saba Yoi in the same province in 2023. He denied wrongdoing and said he had not violated state procurement regulations. Dr Supat accused Opas Karnwawingpong, the permanent secretary for public health, of being the person behind the move to oust him as he and other members of the Rural Doctor Society had strongly criticised the Disease Control Department for mishandling the coronavirus vaccines. Dr Opas was the department director-general when the country was beset by the fatal virus starting in 2022. He alleged Dr Opas wanted to see him end his career before the permanent secretary retires at the end of September. Dr Supat told Hfocus, an online platform dedicated to health issues, that his strong criticism of the ministry's management of the coronavirus situation, as well as his opposition to the cannabis policy and a plan to build an industrial complex project in Chana, were behind the attempt to purge him. Dr Opas refused to talk about the issue on Monday although he stood beside the minister as he talked to reporters. Residents and activists in Songkhla and other provinces have shown support for Dr Supat since he posted the message about his destiny, which was widely shared online. Dr Supat on Sunday thanked all supporters who came out in person, in public and online against the ministry's attempt to axe him from the job. "Thank you for all your support. We'll fight together," he wrote in his Facebook post on Sunday. Dr Supat met with some villagers and activists who held a rally to back him on a beach in Chana district in Songkhla province on Sunday.
