The Role of Rural Doctor Movement on Public Policy Advocacy: A Case Study of Universal Health Coverage Scheme

Abstract

This research aims to study the history and roles of rural doctor movement on advocating for the universal health coverage scheme. The research was studied through ‘the triangle that moves the mountain’ framework, combined with social movement theory, social network theory, multiple stream model and policy formation model. The scope of study was from the rural doctor club establishment in 1978, until the rural doctor movement was a part of advocate for national health security Act in 2002. This research is qualitative method. The data was collected through documentary review and interview 9 stakeholders including 2 rural doctors, 2 civil society, 2 political sectors and 3 key informants of relevant organizations. The result showed that the major role of rural doctor movement is a knowledge role on advocating for universal health coverage scheme. The rural doctor movement accumulated knowledge through various research projects such as the Khun Han project, Ayutthaya project and the health service system reform project which is funded by the European Union. The knowledge was become the foundation of the universal health coverage scheme. After that, both civil society and a political sector had collaborated during the period before the 2001 election. The first election under the constitution of the kingdom of Thailand 1997, which had the provisions on the collection of names for proposing the bill by the people under section 170 and encouraged the participation of the public sector. The readiness of the policy makers in the above situations and opportunities had become a policy window that comprising of three streams including problem stream, political stream and policy stream which lead to the universal health coverage policy through a network collaboration, consists of the relevant knowledge, the social movement and the political involvement. All of which are connected.