SISAKET, Thailand – Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat has presided over the opening ceremony of the Sisaket Endoscopy Center at Sisaket Hospital, expanding access to colorectal cancer screening and treatment for residents, nearby provinces, and neighboring countries. The new center is expected to reduce waiting times, lower travel costs, and improve access to specialized care. Pattana said colorectal cancer is one of Thailand’s leading causes of death and is linked to lifestyle factors such as diets high in fat and processed meat, physical inactivity, smoking, and alcohol consumption. He said the ministry is advancing its Prevention & Seamless Care policy, with colonoscopy serving as the gold standard for detecting colorectal disease and removing polyps before they develop into cancer.
The Sisaket Endoscopy Center is the second facility of its kind in Public Health Region 10, following Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani. Sisaket Hospital also serves as a regional referral hospital and a clinical medical education center, with specialists in more than 20 medical disciplines. The center will also expand access to services under Thailand’s 30-baht Universal Healthcare Scheme using only a national identification card. The Public Health Ministry is continuing its national cancer prevention and control program with a target of providing colonoscopy-based colorectal cancer screening to 80 percent of the target population. (NNT)
