The scheme’s budget has grown significantly from Bt46.48 billion in 2002 to Bt71.01 billion in 2016.

“Our subcommittee has found that the rising cost of the scheme is related to corruption involving civil servants, their family members, medical facilities, medical workers and drug firms,” NACC secretary-general Sansern Poljieak said yesterday. He said the NACC had set up a subcommittee to look into the scheme after receiving several corruption complaints.

Headed by NACC commissioner Preecha Lertkamolmart, the subcommittee has reviewed problems and planned solutions in collaboration with the Office of Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commis-sion, the Department of Special Investigation and the Comptroller-General’s Department.

According to the subcommittee, civil servants and their family members have gone to various hospitals to get free medicine beyond what they really needed, which then could be sold. The scheme involves free medical treatment.

In addition, doctors had deliberately dispensed more medicine than necessary to patients under the scheme to get more commissions or incentives from drug firms.

“We have thus recommended preventative measures to the Cabinet such as strict and rational drug use guidelines,” Sansern said.

A source said Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam had instructed the Public Health Ministry to consider the NACC recommendations in consultation with relevant authorities such as the Finance Ministry.