The Public Health Ministry is advocating for tax incentives to encourage individuals in the battle against Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs), as stated by Minister Somsak Thepsutin.
The primary objective is to prioritize the prevention of NCDs, which is considered more effective than focusing solely on treatments. According to ministry statistics, approximately 400,000 people die annually from NCDs in Thailand.
“We need to launch a robust campaign to educate the public on how to prevent NCDs,” he emphasized.
NCDs encompass chronic conditions such as cancer, cerebrovascular diseases like heart attacks and strokes, diabetes, and chronic respiratory ailments, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma.
The World Health Organization highlights various risk factors for NCDs, including tobacco use, physical inactivity, excessive alcohol consumption, unhealthy diets, and air pollution.
Minister Somsak indicated that the ministry plans to enlist one million village health volunteers across the nation to spearhead NCD prevention campaigns, promoting initiatives such as the “Eat Wisely and Stay Healthy” program.
Reducing the number of NCD patients would lessen the government’s healthcare expenditures, which include approximately 130 billion baht annually for medications and an additional 1.5 trillion baht in indirect costs, he pointed out. Overall, the financial burden associated with NCDs is estimated at 1.6 trillion baht.
Recent discussions with the National Health Security Office revealed that if expenses could be minimized, there should be compensation for village health volunteers. The ministry will consult with experts to determine the feasibility of this proposal.
“If we aim to lower the incidence of sickness and mortality linked to NCDs, we need to consider both positive and negative measures. One approach is to provide incentives for our health volunteers, and another is to offer tax benefits to individuals who prioritize their health. This topic will be on the agenda for our meeting on Monday,” he said.
The Department of Disease Control is currently gathering ideas to draft the first-ever NCD bill aimed at promoting effective practices for preventing such diseases. Initially, tax incentives may be directed at food manufacturers who successfully decrease salt or sugar levels in their products—key contributors to NCDs. The idea of offering tax incentives to individuals is also on the table for further discussion, he added.