The Cabinet has approved a health workforce declaration that supports distributing specialized doctors to remote areas and using Telemedicine and AI to increase equitable access to treatment for the public.
On 1 Sep 2026 GMT+7, Ms. Lalida Pertwiwatthana, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister's Office, announced that the Cabinet approved the draft ministerial declaration on health human resources: equity in specialized health services (Dili Declaration on Human Resources for Health: Equity in Specialized Care). The aim is to promote the distribution of specialized medical personnel, reduce disparities between urban and rural or remote areas, and utilize digital technology to expand equitable access to diagnosis and treatment.
The Deputy Spokesperson stated that Southeast Asian countries currently face challenges such as aging populations, increasing complexity of diseases, shortages of specialized personnel, and unequal distribution between urban and rural areas. Therefore, it is essential to develop the health workforce and service systems to enable more equitable access to specialized care.
The declaration’s core focus is for member countries to plan medical workforce development aligned with population needs, create financial and non-financial incentives to attract and retain specialists in public health systems and remote areas, and develop service models such as multidisciplinary teams, task sharing and shifting, mobile specialist units, and staff rotation to rural locations.
Another key approach is expanding the use of digital health technologies, including Telemedicine, remote diagnostic systems, electronic patient referral systems, and artificial intelligence tools to support clinical decision-making. These measures will help rural and remote populations access specialized services more easily.
Additionally, the declaration emphasizes strengthening referral systems linked to primary care and enhancing management of priority conditions such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, stroke, injuries, maternal and child health, as well as integrating palliative care into all levels of service.
"The main goal is to ensure that where people live does not limit their access to specialist doctors. People in remote areas should have the same opportunities to receive quality services as those in cities. Distributing personnel, rotating specialists, and using Telemedicine or digital technologies will be vital tools to reduce health service disparities," Ms. Lalida said.
The declaration is scheduled for endorsement at the 79th session of the WHO Regional Committee for Southeast Asia (RC79), hosted by the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste from 7–10 Sep 2026 GMT+7. The Cabinet approved that the Minister of Public Health or a designated representative will formally endorse the draft declaration.
This declaration represents a political commitment to promote equitable access to specialized health services without creating legally binding international obligations. The framework can be adapted to develop the health workforce, health service systems, and measures to retain specialists in the public sector and underserved areas, supporting Thailand’s goal of universal health coverage.