On March 20 is the National Village Health Volunteer’s Day. Thai FDA extends its sincere gratitude to the village health volunteers for their contribution and Thai FDA supports village health volunteers, as key personnel in driving the implementation on consumer protection of health-related products, and building up the strong and healthy society.

Every year on 20 March marks the National Village Health Volunteer’s Day. Dr. Narong Aphikulvanich, the Secretary-General of the Food and Drug Administration, said that the village health volunteers are those who contribute their efforts in public health services to promote good health to all locals living in every community. Through the event of consumer protection of health-related products, the networks of village health volunteer have taken part in encouraging people to have the comprehensive knowledge in health-related products. Thai FDA, the main organization in consumer protection of health-related products, would like to extend its sincere thanks to the village health volunteers for giving the importance on driving the community to consume safety health products.

Until now, the village health volunteers have played an important role in many projects of FDA such as “the Community Networks Project on Consumer Protection from Hazardous Health Products”, “the Knowledge-based Community Project related Health Products”, “the Knowledge-building Project on Health Products at All Ages: Think Smart before Using B.E. 2567”, “the Intelligence Project for the Elderly in Health Products Consumption B.E. 2567” and more projects that have been participated by the village health volunteers. The voice of them is dominant in transmitting knowledge, and creating correct understanding on the health-related products to the villagers through communication, public relations, visiting and giving knowledge to the community, keeping an eye on the exaggerated advertising of health-related products which are put on sale, particularly the direct sales as well as the product from the community’s advertising. The village health volunteers could also help providing suggestions or handling customer complaints including jointly inspecting shops or grocery stores together with the networks in the areas, focusing on the elderly with physical limitations, constrained skill in reading and writing including decision-making on the perception of health-related information and news. However, with the presence of the village health volunteers, the necessary information can be conveyed to the community residence. Furthermore, the village health volunteers are able to advise the elderly effectively.

The Secretary-General of FDA, said further that the implementation of consumer protection of health-related products cannot be achieved by one organization like FDA, partner network is the key mechanism which helps the consumer protection achieving the goal effectively. Village health volunteers nationwide have the strong power to raise awareness in the Thai society to be the smart consumer and not to be the victim of the fake health-related products, Additionally, being healthy citizen can contribute to the development of the country in a stable and sustainable way.

                                                                      ***************************************
                                                                     News Publication Date: 20 March 2024