A Buddhist-run hospital in the province of Chiang Rai is facing a severe funding shortage, with its budget expected to last only two more months, due to rising fuel prices and declining donations.
Phra Paisan Prachatorn, the abbot of Huay Pla Kang Temple and founder of Wat Huay Pla Kang Hospital for Charity, said the facility has been providing free medical treatment to poor and underprivileged patients for nearly four years.
The 90-bed hospital provides free treatment for patients who are unable to access quality healthcare, focusing on dentistry and general medicine. Modern equipment at the hospital enables liver, kidney and lung examinations.
However, the abbot said a combination of economic pressures, particularly increasing fuel prices, has led to a decrease in visitors to the temple and a drop in donations.
As a result, the temple's income has diminished, making it impossible to support the hospital at previous levels, he said.
The hospital is now experiencing shortages of medicines, medical supplies, equipment and funding to support its staff and volunteers, he said. The remaining budget will cover costs for only about two months.
Located within Huay Pla Kang Temple in Chiang Rai's Muang district, the hospital can treat about 300 patients daily free of charge, with support from about 60 doctors, nurses and other staff.
