Thammasat University offers education and training in the health sciences, consisting of Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Dentistry, Faculty of Nursing, Faculty of Public Health, Faculty of Pharmacy, and Chulabhorn International College of Medicine. During 2017–2021 academic years, there were 5,559 graduates in health science majors, accounting for 11.78% of the total number of graduates from Thammasat University. The students and staff in health science faculties of Thammasat University produced 1,326 research publications during 2019–2021 academic years, which accounts for 36.62% the total 3,621 publications from Thammasat University.

Number and proportion of graduates in health science majors during 2016  – 2020  academic years

Number and proportion of publications in medical and health research during 2019–2021 academic years

Thammasat’s provision of public health services during COVID-19 epidemic

Thammasat University Hospital is a tertiary-level university hospital with a potential to provide comprehensive treatment across all disciplines with the current capacity to serve 3,000–4,000 outpatients daily and support inpatients in our 750-bed facility.

During the COVID-19 epidemic from March 2020 to December 2021, Thammasat University Hospital was able to accommodate 2,124 COVID-19 patients that were referred from district and provincial hospitals in Pathum Thani and other provinces in Public Health Region 4, including university hospitals in UNOSNET network in Bangkok metropolitan area.

From the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand, Thammasat University has prepared for the situation by setting up a treatment system for the students and the staff of Thammasat University as well as for the public to ensure equal access to the treatment system for all. The treatment system that Thammasat University has prepared for COVID-19 patients consists of 3 main treatment systems, which are 1) treatment in Thammasat University Hospital for moderate and severe case patients, 2) treatment in Thammasat University Field Hospital for mild cases, and 3) Home Isolation system for asymptomatic patients who can take care of themselves to minimize the number of patients and accommodate new patients in the Field Hospital.

1.) Preparation of negative pressure rooms for COVID-19 patients in Thammasat University Hospital

Thammasat University Hospital continually upgrades and renovates COVID-19 wards by creating more negative pressure facilities. Currently there are 9 negative pressure patient wards with a total of 120 patient beds, 40 negative pressure isolation rooms for critically ill patients, 30 Semi-negative pressure rooms, and 48 ICU rooms of which the air pressure is regulated.

To ensure safety while performing procedures on patients with COVID-19, Thammasat University Hospital has set up 2 and 4 negative pressure tents in Nephrology Ward and Internal Medicine Wards respectively, with the support from the Federation of Thai Industries. In Obstetrics and Gynecology Ward, two negative pressure delivery rooms are available for up to 10 patients in labor.

2.) Treatment system in Thammasat University Field Hospital for COVID-19

Thammasat University Field Hospital for COVID-19 is the first field hospital for the pandemic in Thailand that was founded on 26 March 2020. The field hospital is designed to accommodate 470 patients with mild symptoms from the Bangkok Metropolitan area. Since its inception, it has served 3 waves of patients: 55 patients during the first wave, 311 patients during the second wave, and during the third wave, it had to be expanded to serve as many as 4,878 patients. During the operation of the field hospital, it has served a total of 5,022 patients.

The field hospital is staffed not only by the personnel from Thammasat University Hospital but also by the faculty members from the Faculty of Medicine and Thammasat student volunteers.

Ref :    https://tu.ac.th/thammasat-100464-preparing-open-field-hospital
https://tu.ac.th/thammasat-university-field-hospital-covid-19-model-thailand

3.) Home Isolation System

Thammasat Home Isolation Project was in operation for 173 days, from 30 June to 15 December 2021, and served a total of 2,608 patients. The establishment of the home isolation system was a new approach to service COVID-19 patients. It not only accepted new patients through direct registration but also recruited patients in Thammasat University Hospital with mild symptoms to open spaces for new patients who require hospitalization. Patients who registered in the home isolation system received medications, medical supplies, and personal protective equipment for the X-ray process. They could also communicate with doctors and nurses daily through a mobile application. 

COVID-19 Management in local communities

At the peaks of COVID-19 epidemic, Thammasat University Hospital set up teams to perform COVID-19 testing survey in the local communities with high risk and among Thammasat students and staff. Thammasat call center was also set up to assist and reduce the load of Mor Prom application in urgent cases.

Besides, Thammasat University Hospital was one of the 6 university hospitals that were selected to be the distribution centers of Remdesivir, a new antiviral medication with higher efficacy than Favipiravir, for patients with moderate symptoms. Thammasat University Hospital has also ordered 200,000 courses of Molnupiravir antiviral medication and signed an agreement with the pharmaceutical company in India for the third phase efficacy testing and clinical trial of the medication in COVID-19 patients.

Vaccine Management and Distribution for Thammasat students, staff, and the public

Thammasat University Hospital established the Vaccination Center at Thammasat University Rangsit Campus at Gymnasium 4 which was in operation for 161 days and administered as many as 300,000 doses of vaccines.

The registration system for the vaccination center was jointly developed by Thammasat University Hospital and Thammasat School of Engineering. The registration for AstraZeneca vaccine started on 7 June 2021, with a daily quota of 2,000 vaccine doses. Besides, Thammasat University Hospital also offered vaccine registration through its own ‘TUH for All’ application starting in July 2021.

Photo : https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/13Mac9rSMmOaqbeA-JVndujgfYV-kbPgA?usp=sharing

Ref :  https://tu.ac.th/thammasat-070664-open-covid19-vaccination-center

https://tu.ac.th/thammasat-140564-call-center-covid19-vaccine-registration-center

Global Cooperation

Thammasat University Hospital not only collaborates with other health institutions in Thailand, but also tries to extend the scope of practice to nearby ASEAN countries. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Manchima Makornwattana, the Head of Glaucoma Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine visited in Hanoi, Vietnam and Phnom Penh, Cambodia to give lectures and demonstration on glaucoma surgery as well as to give consultations and perform preliminary screening on glaucoma and eye patients.

Source : Manchima Makornwattana

Thammasat’s contribution to the promotion of public well-being

Thammasat University recognizes the importance of well-being and health of the citizens. We, therefore, provide well-being services to the public in Pathum Thani and nearby provinces, as well as people in remote areas and people with disadvantages, including

• Educating the public on proper hygiene and holistic health care approach by the Faculty of Nursing, which include the Family Classroom Project to support children with potential developmental delay and children with special needs, “Be Healthy and Be Happy life” project for elderly people, Life Skills Summer Camp for Kids project, and the emerging infectious disease surveillance survey project.
• Educating people who receive dental services from Dental Innovation Foundation under Royal Patronage organized by Faculty of Dentistry, Thammasat University, especially those in remote areas and with disadvantages, on dental hygiene so that they can properly take care of their oral health and sustain their quality of life.

• Providing health services and giving advice on health issues to the public by the Faculty of Medicine and other health-science faculties, which include volunteering in mobile medical units on Mahidol Day and performing health checks for students of the Kindergarten of Thammasat University.

Thammasat’s services and sports facilities that are open to the public

Thammasat University allows the public to access and use the sports facilities, including

• Mini stadium is a field that can be used for various sports, such as football, futsal, and rugby, enclosed by a 800-meter running track and outdoor fitness facilities, which has been popular with the general public.

• Bicycle tracks around campus with the total distance of more than 14 km, covering 6 routes under the concept of promoting “sustainable cohabitation” to encourage the students and the general public to use bicycles for transportation and exercise.

• Solar Park, a public park with an area of about 1 square kilometer with was established with a concept in environmental development to increase green space and promote of healthy lifestyle that is close to nature and relies on renewable energy. A great number of visitors from inside and outside the University use Solar Park which is a green space full of large trees as a place for leisure or exercise.

On-campus sexual health services for the students

Thammasat University has issued a policy to promote and take care of student sexual health through activities organized by Thammasat Well Being Center, including a plan for an establishment of “Sex Must Say” clinic in the future. There are several ongoing activities to promote sexual health of the students including HIV screening by Thammasat University Hospital and Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand, giving out free condoms and lubricant gel, lending organ models to promote proper sexual health education, as well as raising awareness through various media on the topics of sexual health, sexually transmitted disease prevention, and unintended pregnancy prevention. Besides, there are consulting services on sexual health through Thammasat Well Being Center Facebook page to give health care advice and to coordinate and assist the students with sexual health issues.