MFU Hosts 15-Nation Training to Advance Border Healthcare Systems

The School of Health Science at Mae Fah Luang University (MFU), in partnership with the Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA), launched the 2026 Annual International Training Course (AITC) entitled "The Strengthening of the Health Care System in the Border Areas" on 24 August 2026, at the General Sampao Choosri Building (E4). Asst. Prof. Dr. Wipob Suthana, Dean of the School of Health Science, co-presided over the opening ceremony with Mr. Grisada Phakakarn, Director of Human Resources Development Cooperation Division and representative of TICA. 

Running from 24 August to 11 September 2026 at MFU and partner sites across the border health network, the programme is designed to build healthcare workforce capacity in disease surveillance, prevention, and control along border zones, together with cross-cultural healthcare delivery for vulnerable populations. 

Participants include public health professionals from 15 countries across the world: Azerbaijan, Bhutan, China, Ecuador, Egypt, Fiji, Ghana, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Morocco, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, and Timor-Leste.

Key programme components include field visits to border health facilities along the Thai-Myanmar, Thai-Lao, and Thai-Cambodian borders. Participants will observe operations at international communicable disease control checkpoints, border hospitals, and malaria research units to gain actionable insights for addressing public health challenges in their home countries as well as for further studies. 

Border areas see high population movement from migrant workers and tourists, increasing the risk of communicable disease outbreaks such as malaria and dengue, along with health care disparities for vulnerable groups. This course addresses these complex challenges by effectively equipping public health practitioners with practical field strategies. 

MFU maintains ongoing partnerships in border health management with the Ministry of Public Health, the World Health Organization (WHO), and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC). This AITC initiative supports this network by advancing local expertise to meet international standards in border public health.