3. Charity
Most TB and HIV patients are poor. In the field data collection or in the TB service, THRF staff and TB clinic staff often meet the extremely poor TB patients who indeed need immediate financial assistance. Our kind staff and kind health workers usually assisted those poor patients from their own limited pockets. Until 2005, a charity fund was set up with a generous donation from Ms.Phannavadee Vasinwattana to support poor patients. THRF puts our effort to maintain this initial charity fund by mobilizing resources from other sectors. In late 2007, the Stop TB Partnership granted THRF for setting-up a TB patient funding and patient volunteers so called “Center for Sharing” (in Thai – Soon Pan Namjai) to support poor TB patients. In order to maintain this funding In a sustainable manner, in 2009, THRF with kind support from the double barred cross seal donation of Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association (JATA), we organized the first workshop to involve women from women organizations in Chiang Rai to raise the fund continuously. Up to now, the women volunteers members are still active in supporting TB patients by fund raising, home visit to give support for TB and TB/HIV patients.