The outreach was held at Phuket Rajabhat University in Ratsada, with Phuket Governor Nirat Pongsitthaworn presiding over the opening ceremony. He was joined by his wife, Ms Kusumal, along with heads of government agencies, medical personnel, foundation volunteers and members of the public.
The activity coincided with the anniversary of Princess Galyani Vadhana’s passing. The Princess, the elder sister of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej (Rama IX), passed away on Jan 2, 2008, at the age of 84. Officials paid tribute to her role as Honorary President of the Princess Mother’s Medical Volunteer Foundation (PMMVF), known in Thai as “PorOrSorWor”.
The PMMVF continues the royal commitment to improving access to healthcare, particularly for underprivileged people in remote areas across Thailand. Its mobile medical unit programme is designed to ensure equitable access to health services, reduce disparities in medical care and strengthen cooperation among relevant agencies in addressing community health needs.
At yesterday’s event, provincial officials extended their appreciation to doctors, nurses, public health officers, community leaders and volunteers from all sectors who contributed their time and expertise to support the outreach.
Residents attending the event received a wide range of medical and public health services, including general health check-ups, eye examinations, dental care, traditional Thai medicine services, breast cancer screening and health education. Free eyeglasses were distributed to those in need, while home visits were arranged for bedridden patients to ensure continuity of care beyond the one-day outreach.
The Phuket Provincial Office has operated mobile medical units under the PMMVF programme since 1975, marking 51 years of continuous service. Phuket is the 44th province nationwide to participate in the initiative.
Additional support at the Ratsada outreach was provided by partner agencies, including haircut services offered by Phuket Polytechnic College and the donation of essential goods to patients by the Phuket Provincial Red Cross, the Public Health Housewives Association and agencies under the social development and human security sector.
Provincial officials noted that the strong inter-agency cooperation demonstrated at the event reflects a shared commitment to sustainably improving public health services and enhancing the overall quality of life for people in Phuket.