Public health minister promises fair treatment for Dr Supat

Public Health Minister Somsak Thepsuthin told the Senate today that the investigation into the conduct of Dr Supat Hasuwannakit, head of the Rural Doctor Society and director of Sabayoi District Hospital, was undertaken in accordance with procedure and that he would treat the case with fairness.

Somsak made the statement in response to an interpellation raised by Senator Tewarit Maneechai, who asked whether the probe into Dr. Supat, over the procurement of antigen test kits during the COVID-19 pandemic for the Jana District Hospital, where he was the director before his transfer to Sabayoi, was discriminatory, because directors of other hospitals which also procured the test kits were not investigated.

The minister claimed that the investigation into Dr Supat, by the ministry’s disciplinary committees, were strictly in accordance with procedure and it was discovered that Dr. Supat did not follow the procurement regulations.

The disciplinary committee has recommended that Dr Supat be dismissed from government service, but the panel’s decision is yet to be approved by the ministry’s civil service panel, to be chaired by Somsak, which is due to meet next month.

Somsak said that he is willing to disclose details of the probe, as demanded by civil society groups, who are rallying in support of the embattled doctor, and that he understands the urgent need to procure the antigen test kits during the pandemic to protect people, but that regulations regarding procurement of medical supplies need to be obeyed.

He also said that the other hospital directors were not investigated because there have been no complaints against them.

Meanwhile, it has been disclosed that the director-general of the Comptroller-General Department, in a letter dated March 27th, 2020 to permanent secretaries, directors-general of all ministries, provincial governors and the Bangkok governor regarding the procurement of medication, non-medicinal kits and medical supplies during the COVID-19 pandemic, wrote that, in case of an emergency, for the necessary items for the treatment of and protection against COVID-19, most procurement regulations can be waived.