Potential of Foreign Public Health Volunteers (FVs) for Health Care of Lao migrant workers: A Case Study of Ban Phaeng District, Nakhon Phanom Province

Abstract

This research aims to study the accessibility of health services to the Lao migrant workers in Ban Phaeng District, Nakhon Phanom Province and to study the potential of foreign health volunteers (FHVs) to care for the health of the Lao migrant workers in Ban Phaeng District, Nakhon Phanom Province by using qualitative research methods from content analysis and field data from the target group that was specifically selected from the population (Purposive Sampling), which is 30 Lao migrant workers working in Ban Phaeng District, Nakhon Phanom Province.

The research found 1) Most Lao migrant workers will help each other when they are sick. If they are slightly sick, they will buy medicine or find herbs to take themselves. Except when they are seriously sick or have a serious accident, they will use the services of a government hospital. However, some Lao migrant workers decide not to use the services even though some of them have the right to receive medical treatment, due to inability to pay for treatment. 2) Foreign health volunteers (FHVs) who have been trained can provide services to patients or service recipients in the migrant worker group in terms of disease prevention, health promotion, and medical treatment according to their assigned roles, including taking pulses, calculating body mass index (BMI), measuring body temperature, providing first aid, wiping the body to reduce fever, and using medicine and herbs together with village health volunteers (VHVs). The Foreign health volunteers (FHVs) are important personnel who help take care of the health of people in border communities to effectively promote border health security. Therefore, they should be certified as foreign health volunteers (FHVs) to encourage them to continue working as individuals who are beneficial to border areas.