The government announced progress on producing community nurse volunteers, opening registration from 13 to 27 July. The first cohort aims for 7,256 volunteers to be allocated across 12 health regions nationwide. It emphasized that their work will not duplicate that of village health volunteers (VHVs), focusing on caring for four vulnerable groups in the community.
On 11 July 2026, Ms. Ploytale Laksamee Sangchan, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office, revealed that the government, through the Ministry of Public Health, is advancing the policy for community nurse volunteers (CNVs). Progress is clear through coordinated efforts of relevant sectors, aiming to produce 7,256 CNVs to serve communities by caring for four target groups and linking their work with Sub-district Health Promoting Hospitals (SHPHs) to strengthen primary healthcare.
Ms. Ploytale said the latest update is that the selection process for CNVs will begin in July 2026, with official registration open nationwide from 13 to 27 July. On 31 July 2026, provincial subcommittees will verify qualifications and announce the list of candidates eligible for selection as CNVs.
Then, in August 2026, the selection will take place from 3 to 14 August. Subsequently, the provincial subcommittees will forward the selection results to the central committee by September 2026. The final results will be announced on 1 September 2026, followed by the announcement of those eligible for training in October 2026. Training for CNVs will then commence.
Ms. Ploytale added that the Ministry of Public Health expects to produce a total of 7,256 CNVs allocated across 12 health regions nationwide. Distribution will be based mainly on sub-districts to fill primary healthcare workforce gaps at the community level as follows: Health Region 1 will receive 769 CNVs; Region 2, 426; Region 3, 420; Region 4, 713; Region 5, 635; Region 6, 531; Region 7, 660; Region 8, 664; Region 9, 762; Region 10, 613; Region 11, 518; and Region 12, 565.
The government affirmed that the policy to produce community nurse volunteers (CNVs) aims to increase health personnel in the public health system and will not duplicate the work of existing village health volunteers (VHVs) or caregivers. CNVs will work proactively alongside VHVs in healthcare and promoting quality of life for all age groups, focusing on four target groups: 1) elderly/bedridden, 2) patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), 3) mothers and children, and 4) psychiatric/substance abuse patients.