On February 18, 2021, Associate Professor Apichat Jiravuttipong, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Associate Professor Kamolwan Jenwiteesuk, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, and other executive officers, represented the Faculty of Medicine in receiving laptop computers from KKU Library represented by Associate Professor Supat Sinawat, Director of the Khon Kaen University Library, and Associate Professor Pipatphong Kanla, Associate Dean for Administration Affairs, KKU Library.

Due to the increasing risk of COVID-19, education systems need to adapt for the safety of both students and teachers.   Future education will increasingly be on computer-based platforms.   To ensure students with limited computer access have equal learning opportunities, Khon Kaen University, has started a rental computer for learning project. The project will be managed by the Faculty of Medicine Library and MDKKU will become the first faculty to start this rental computer for education project.

All are invited to join USF Health International’s Global Health Conversation Series. The theme for Spring 2021 is The Impact of COVID-19 on Global Health Efforts.

Our next session will be held on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM EDT. The topic of Dr. Umakanth’s presentation is “Public-Private Partnership During a Pandemic – Experience in Udupi District of India.”

Register click here https://usf.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0MU2kHuCuxF9aGa

His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn, King Rama 10, and Her Majesty the Queen Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana, Queen of Thailand, presided at a ceremony on February 15, 2021, to award outstanding civil servants with the Dushdi Mala Medal of Honor. Professor Pisake Lumbiganon, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, was awarded the Dushdi Mala Medal of Honor at this ceremony, with six other professors from other Thai Institutes.

The Dushdi Mala Medal was created in 1882 and is the highest level of award for a Thai civil servant. It is divided in to 9 different fields 1) Humanitarian 2) Education 3) Art 4) Social Science 5) Science 6) Engineer 7) Medicine 8) Agricultural 9) Other field as the committee sees fit. The medal is only awarded to people who have made outstanding contributions to the development and growth of Thailand. Professor Pisake Lumbiganon was Dean for the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, between 2009 – 2013 and his national and international recognition includes:

• President, The Royal Thai College of the Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
• Technical advisor, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
• Technical Consultant, Johns Hopkins Program for International Education in Reproductive Health, USA
• Member of the Steering Committee, Task Force for Epidemiological Research in Reproductive Health, WHO, Geneva, Switzerland
• Member of the Editorial Board, WHO Reproductive Health Library, Geneva, Switzerland
• Member of the Core Committee on Perinatal Health, International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics
• Member of the Health System Research Task Force, The World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
• Maternal and Perinatal Health Near Miss & Preterm Birth Steering Committee, Department of Reproductive Health and Research, The World Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland
• And many other position internationally.

The Faculty of Medicine heartily congratulates him on this great auspicious occasion.

Written by: Natakon Naowarojna and Santipong Hongseangthai (programer and graphic designer)

International Relations Office, Research and International Relations Affairs

Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University

Three more Associate Professors from our  Faculty of Medicine, have  been promoted to full  professor  status, in the latest announcement from the Office of the Prime Minister on February 15, 2021. They  are:

1. Professor Somsak Tiamkao                       Department of Emergency Medicine
2. Professor Jintanaporn Wattanathorn       Department of Physiology
3. Professor Narong Khuntikeo                     Department of Surgery

The Faculty of Medicine  warmly congratulates them on this great acknowledgment of their outstanding  career achievements.

The Thai Government has selected Khon Kaen province as one of 7 prototype cities for the Smart City project, together with Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chon Buri, Rayong, Chachoengsao, and Bangkok. The project includes sub-projects, such as, Smart Mobility, Smart Living, Smart Citizen, Smart Economy, Smart Environment, and Smart Governance. Khon Kaen Province is now focusing its attention on Smart Living and Smart Mobility.   Associate Professor Cholatip Pongskul, Department of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, has represented “Khon Kaen Smart Living in Khon Kaen Smart City project.  He says Khon Kaen Smart Living project has 3 main areas including Preventive Healthcare Service, Smart Ambulance, and Health Information Exchange. DEPA (Digital Economy Promotion Agency) Thailand and other government agency confirms the importance of smart living and is now working with Khon Kaen Municipality in the areas of Preventive Healthcare Services and Health Information Exchange.  The transformation will create a citizen health data hub from various sources and process them to predict the state of health for each person. The growing numbers of elderly in Thai society is creating new challenges for the healthcare sector.  Some elderly people live alone and are susceptible to many injuries and illness. The Preventive Healthcare Service is creating monitoring project to track specific patient’s living habits and wellbeing so doctors can track their state of health and respond promptly to any accident that might happen to them.   The Smart Ambulance is a new system that will increase ambulance dispatch efficiency and allow paramedics to do simple diagnosis and relay information back to the hospital in advance of the patient’s arrival. This prototype project is currently being tested at Srinagarind Hospital.  When the project is completed and   implemented country wide, it is anticipated Thai citizen’s health status will increase while health personnel’s workload will decrease.

Written by: Natakon Naowarojna

International Relations Office, Research and International Relations Affairs

Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University

Associate Professor Apichat Jiravuttipong, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, and Associate Professor Songsak Kiatchoosakun, Director of Srinagarind Hospital, attended the “Shine Light on Cholangiocarcinoma” campaign event on February 11, 2021. Also attending were medical staff and researchers from the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation of Thailand, Cholangiocarcinoma Excellence Center, Srinagarind Hospital, and Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center, Khon Kaen University.

Associate Professor Narong Khuntikeo, Director of the Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center said that “12 February of every year is a designated World Cholangiocarcinoma Day”. Cholangiocarcinoma associated organizations around the world come out to promote the danger of Cholangiocarcinoma to the public. The event aims to prevent possible damage from Cholangiocarcinoma which kills more than 20,000 people in the northeast of Thailand each year. This causes a massive cost to the Thai workforce and heavily affects the economy and development of the country. The solution to the problem requires the combined help from citizens, government and private sectors. The solution involves making sure raw fish meals are clean and parasite free, adequate sanitary systems, improvement in education and basic knowledge of the disease, and efficient screening and treatment for Cholangiocarcinoma. . The Cholangiocarcinoma Research Center continues working with others to get rid Thailand of Cholangiocarcinoma and prevent the loss of our loved ones to this disease.”

Written by: Natakon Naowarojna

International Relations Office, Research and International Relations Affairs

Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University