Thailand Australia Join Hands in Medical Research

Thailand Australia join hands in medical research

BANGKOK, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) — Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health is cooperating with the University of Queensland in Australia in conducting a five-year study into five major medical issues.

Thai Deputy Public Health Minister Suchai Charoenrattanachai was quoted by the Thai News Agency as saying Wednesday that information from the study, funded by the British Wellcome Trust, would be used by the government in helping determine public health policies.

The research will look at AIDS, heart disease, traffic accidents, mental health and drug abuse.

Research will be focused on the costs involved in treatment, the effectiveness of preventative measures, and existing healthcare systems.

Over the past two decades, 74,801 people in Thailand have died from AIDS, while the year 2000 saw 12,811 deaths from traffic accidents and 2 million cases of mental health treatment.

To date this year over 555,000 Thais have received treatment for drug abuse, the report said.