Problems of the Thai health care systems (28)
Major problems in the health systems in Thailand are divided into five groups
as follows:
1.4.1 Inequity
(1) Inequities of health status
The infant mortality rate (IMR) is a good indicator of health status differences
in various population groups, i.e., the IMR in non-municipal areas being 1.85 times
higher than that in the municipal areas. Although the IMR has declined by half in the
past 20 years, the urban-rural difference is increasing (Table 1.4). In the World Health
Report 2000, Thailand was ranked 74th in the area of equity in health status as
measured by the distribution of child mortality (5).
(2) Inequities in resources allocation
Although the proportions of bed to population and personnel to population
tend to be better in all regions and nationwide, the Bangkok/regional and Bangkok/
Northeast disparities prevail. This clearly indicates the inequities in resources allo-