The issue regarding public hospitals in Thailand falling short of money to purchase medical equipment has been raised quite frequently lately with examples like the recent charity campaign initiated by Artiwara "Toon" Kongmalai of the rock band Bodyslam who ran from Yala to Chiang Rai to raise funds for the procurement of medical equipment for 11 state hospitals nationwide.
Now everyone can lend a helping hand too with the Ramathibodi Foundation's recent launch of a new method of donation where the kind-hearted can contribute to the purchase of medical equipment for the hospital's Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute (CNMI) located in Samut Prakan province which is still in desperate need of a budget of over 1.4 billion baht.
In collaboration with five telephone network service providers -- AIS, CAT, DTAC, TOT and True -- the Ramathibodi Foundation's new donation campaign is called "Press call = Save Life", introducing a new channel of donation through mobile phones.
Basically, this new donation channel aims at providing a more convenient way to donate. Those who wish to make donations are required only to dial *948*1111*100# from their mobile phones and after that 100 baht will be donated to the Ramathibodi Foundation. This amount will be deducted from their monthly package and top up package.
As part of the launch, the foundation also released a short movie titled Extending Life, telling the story of how building this hospital and producing more medical personnel can help save millions of lives. The movie can be viewed on YouTube, Ramathibodi Foundation's website ramafoundation.or.th and Facebook page RamaGiveShop.
Currently, Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute serves up to 350 outpatient cases daily. Patients admitted to the emergency unit at Ramathibodi Hospital on Rama VI are also transferred to Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute for further treatments.
When at full capacity in the middle of next year, Chakri Naruebodindra Medical Institute is expected to be able to serve more than one million patients per year.
Apart from the mobile channel, donation can also be made via the following bank accounts -- Siam Commercial Bank, Ramathibodi branch, A/C number 026-3-05216-3 and Bangkok Bank, Somdech Phra Debaratana Medical Centre branch, A/C number 090-3-50015-5.
Call 02-201-1111 for more information.
