Development of a Management Model for Public Health Care in Areas Funded by the Electricity Generating Fund, Samut Prakan Province

Abstract

Background and Aims: Samut Prakan Province is an industrial province in the metropolitan area. 13 power plants affect the health and quality of life of people living in the sub-districts surrounding the power plants, covering 66 percent of all sub-districts. Therefore, comprehensive and appropriate healthcare guidelines for people from public health agencies, the Power Development Fund, which is responsible for developing local communities affected by the operations of the power plants, and related parties will create fairness in access to healthcare services and improve the quality of life of people in the areas surrounding the power plants. This research aims to 1) examine the health care guidelines for individuals in the area designated by the Electricity Development Fund of Samut Prakan Province, and 2) create a management model for health care for individuals in the area designated by the Electricity Development Fund of Samut Prakan Province.

Methodology: This research employs a mixed-methods design that integrates quantitative research and action research to develop a management model for public health care near the Power Plant Announcement in Samut Prakan Province. The population and samples for the quantitative research consist of 62 Community Development Committees located around the power plant and 43 directors of sub-district health promotion hospitals or individuals responsible in the area of the Electricity Development Fund announcement. The tools utilized include a survey assessing the health care situation of residents in the area of the Electricity Development Fund announcement, Samut Prakan Province, along with action research methods. The action research tools comprise group discussions, in-depth interviews, and observation forms.

Results: 1) The health care guidelines for the local population, as announced by the Electricity Development Fund of Samut Prakan Province, prioritized medical treatment at a high level, followed by health promotion, disease prevention and control, and rehabilitation, which were rated at a moderate level. The primary issues and challenges identified were: 1) The community health care project was a short-term initiative, implemented one at a time, lacking a sustained long-term impact. Some projects continued to support routine workloads, which did not align with the fund's spending objectives. Consequently, 2) Developing a management model for community health care introduced additional steps beyond the original model. This included coordination to gather information on the needs for support in community projects from local public health services, evaluating the appropriateness of requests before presenting them to the local community for consideration by the procedures of the Electricity Development Fund, and incorporating steps to promote and advocate for community projects to participate in the outstanding community contest for prototypes.

Conclusion: The creation of a management model for public health care within the Electricity Development Fund region of Samut Prakan Province is crucial to guarantee that individuals impacted by health issues related to power plants receive suitable, ongoing, sustainable, and equitable prevention and mitigation of health concerns. This approach emphasizes the principle of “not leaving people affected by health behind” and ensures that power plants fulfill their corporate social responsibility (CSR), which is an essential aspect of business operations that must prioritize the quality of life for the community.