On November 12, 2025, the Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute, led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wacharin Loylochom, Director of the Institute, and Asst. Prof. Dr. Atthaphol Titapan, Head of the Cholangiocarcinoma Center of Excellence at Srinakarin Hospital and a member of the Institute's board, in collaboration with the Sakon Nakhon Provincial Public Health Office, Sakon Nakhon Hospital, Krit Siwara Camp Hospital, Mueang Sakon Nakhon District Public Health Office, Sakon Nakhon Provincial Administrative Organization, Sakon Nakhon Municipality, and other partners, organized the “Kick-off Campaign for Cholangiocarcinoma Screening in Mueang Sakon Nakhon District, Sakon Nakhon Province.” The event was presided over by Mr. Veerarat Theeramitr, Deputy Governor of Sakon Nakhon Province. Dr. Pornphat Phunagklom, Provincial Public Health Officer of Sakon Nakhon, gave a report, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Wacharin Loylochom spoke about the background and importance of the project, and Ms. Jiraporn Berkbhandee, District Chief of Mueang Sakon Nakhon, gave a welcoming speech at the Sakon Nakhon Municipality Multipurpose Building.
The event included the presentation of certificates of honor to model districts and model sub-districts for managing health free from liver fluke disease and bile duct cancer. The ceremony was honored by the presence of heads of provincial government departments, administrators from Sakon Nakhon Hospital, Kritsiwara Camp Hospital, community hospitals, District Health Committees (DHCs), Sub-district Health Committees (SHCs), local administrators, and the Sakon Nakhon Provincial Health Assembly network, as well as the network of sub-district health promotion hospitals and village health volunteers. Importantly, a bile duct cancer screening service using ultrasound was provided to the public over three days, from November 12-14, 2025, targeting over 2,000 people.
Following this, the Cholangiocarcinoma Research Institute will drive efforts to address the problem of liver fluke disease and cholangiocarcinoma in Sakon Nakhon province in collaboration with all relevant sectors, comprehensively addressing the entire life cycle of the problem, including:
1. Training of village health volunteers for screening at-risk groups for liver fluke disease and cholangiocarcinoma.
2. Registration and screening of high-risk groups for liver fluke disease and cholangiocarcinoma.
3. Screen for liver fluke disease using the OV-ATK test kit and treat patients with Praziquantel.
4. Screening for bile duct cancer risk groups using ultrasound.
5. Referring suspected bile duct cancer patients for confirmatory diagnostic testing (CT/MRI) and enrolling them in standard treatment.
6. Teacher training and the implementation of curricula on liver fluke disease and cholangiocarcinoma in educational institutions.
7. Activities to reduce the problem of liver fluke infection and the environmental impact of waste will be continued.