On June 9–10, 2025, Walailak University organized a community health outreach program by deploying faculty members from the School of Allied Health Sciences and the School of Medicine to provide academic services through home visits to bedridden patients. The activity was conducted in collaboration with the Center for Academic Services and the Satit Walailak Pattana Community Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital, which offered coordination and support for field operations.  

Participating faculty members included Asst. Prof. Jiraphat Nawarat and Asst. Prof. Dr. Phuangthip Bhoopong from the Physical Therapy and Medical Technology programs of the School of Allied Health Sciences, along with Ms. Piriya Chonsut from the Applied Thai Traditional Medicine program of the School of Medicine. The team visited six households, providing care for a total of seven bedridden patients.

This interdisciplinary team integrated professional health knowledge and practical skills to deliver comprehensive care to the patients. Services included physical rehabilitation through muscle strengthening exercises, muscle-relaxation massage therapy for bedridden people, and speech-stimulating massage for patients with communication impairments—aiming to improve recovery outcomes and enhance overall quality of life.

Additionally, lecturer and student from the Medical Technology program conducted blood tests to screen for anemia. When cases of anemia were detected, the interdisciplinary team provided dietary advice emphasizing iron-rich foods such as organ meats, egg yolks, liver, dark green leafy vegetables, and various grains. For patients with difficulties in food intake, iron supplements were recommended, with distribution and follow-up support provided by the Satit Walailak Pattana Community Sub-district Health Promoting Hospital.

The primary goals of this activity were to conduct basic health assessments, offer health consultations, provide appropriate rehabilitation, and support caregivers in delivering safe and effective care to bedridden patients—thereby improving their quality of life.

This activity exemplifies Walailak University’s commitment to community engagement through academic service, leveraging interdisciplinary health sciences expertise to deliver quality services tailored to community needs. It reflects the university’s effort to promote sustainable well-being at the local level.

The activity was part of “the Walailak Health Model Program: Revitalizing Quality of Life and Promoting Sustainable Well-being in Communities Surrounding the University.” The program’s main objective is to provide health care and promotion for local communities, including general patients with non-communicable diseases (NCDs), community health volunteers, disadvantage people, underprivileged bedridden patients, and migrant/refugee communities. This existence program includes several projects:

• The Community Physiotherapy Project: Health Promotion and Rehabilitation through Physical Therapy Sciences in Communities Surrounding Tha Sala District
• The Herbal Product and Community Well-being Promotion Project through Applied Thai Traditional Medicine
• The Tha Sala Well-being Model Community Project by Walailak University

These projects under the Walailak Health Model Program not only responds to the health needs of local residents but also highlights Walailak University’s societal contributions through the integration of health knowledge into practical, impactful services. It aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-being, and SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals. Furthermore, it supports the university’s “WU HAPPY TREE” health initiative and the UI GreenMetric World University Rankings (ED5) criteria.

Thai Version: https://cas.wu.ac.th/archives/34289