The leading international organization with social credibility, trust and excellence in field epidemiology by year 2020

 

     Oversee and monitor both domestic and international diseases surveillance and health hazards as per international standards
     Human resource development to:
     - Achieve the missions, along with strengthening the affiliated parties and networks effectively
     - Ready to be an important mechanism for diseases surveillance and health threats in the communities, which will be reachable in all areas timely and equally
- Be a responsible organization for the public through administration according to the international standards, together with the ability to compete in the international level

 

     1. Study, analyze, research and develop knowledge and technology in epidemiology
     2. Define and develop operational standards and human resource capacity in epidemiology at all levels
     3. Establish and develop networks for surveillance, diseases investigation and health threats, including operations of the network, related departments and local authorities, regarding disease surveillance and monitor situation both in the country and internationally
     4. Disseminate information and outbreak alerts for diseases and health threats, including investigation for severe or important diseases
     5. Collaborate or support performance of the related or assigned departments and agencies

 

     Strategy 1 Develop and support the strong partnership network
     Strategy 2 Develop international technical standards for field epidemiology
     Strategy 3 Manage organization according to the international standards

 

     Epidemiological activities in Thailand were started to operate in 1959 by establishing an “Epidemiology Section” in Communicable Disease Division under Department of Health. Subsequently, during 1963, Ministry of Public Health and World Health Organization had collaborated under the “Epidemiological Project of Thailand 0059”, and developed the reporting system for communicable diseases and regional public health activities.
     The year 1968 was the starting point for disease surveillance system in Thailand. The reporting was carried out by sending information of 14 diseases under surveillance through postcards.   
     In 1970, Ministry of Public Health approved to set up the “National Epidemiological Project” that aimed to develop the disease surveillance system further.
     The Division of Epidemiology was established in 1972 and moved under Office of Permanent Secretary, along with launching of 4 epidemiology centers in 4 parts of Thailand which included a center each in Lumpang Province for the northern part, Nakhon Ratchasima Province for the northeastern part, Ratchaburi Province for the central part and Songkhla Province for the southern part. 
     With changes of public health threats over time, diseases under surveillance were added to 26 diseases in 1973, 29 diseases in 1976, 53 diseases in 1982, 68 diseases in 1987 and 84 diseases in 2008.
     In 1980, Field Epidemiology Training Program was founded by Ministry of Public Health, under the collaboration with World Health Organization and United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, to train residents for expertise in epidemiology.
     The government system was reformed in 2002 and thereby, Division of Epidemiology was restructured as Bureau of Epidemiology and shifted under Department of Disease Control. In addition, 4 epidemiology centers were merged with the regional offices of Department of Disease Control and transformed into “Offices of Disease Prevention and Control” which are affiliated under Department of Disease Control up to the present.
     The current disease surveillance system includes non-communicable diseases, occupational and environmental diseases, and various types of injuries. Nowadays, the Bureau of Epidemiology serves as a central agency that supervises and improves the surveillance systems for diseases and health threats.