Accessing high-quality health services will now be convenient for the people of Samdrup Jongkhar and nearby districts. The health ministry inaugurated the 40-bedded Jigme Dorji Wangchuck Military Hospital in Dewathang today coinciding with the seventh birth anniversary of His Royal Highness Gyalsey Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck.
The 40-bedded hospital will function as one of the cluster hospitals and provide specialised services like gynaecology, surgery, endoscopy, paediatrics, internal medicine and anesthesiology in addition to the existing health services. The ministry will also institute CT scans and dialysis services soon.
Apart from Samdrup Jongkhar, the hospital will benefit the people of Pema Gatshel and Trashigang.
“As Dewathang is near Pema Gatshel, it will be convenient for us to visit the hospital. We will be able to go early in the morning, avail the medical services and return on the same day,” said Sonam Dorji, a resident of Pema Gatshel.
“The hospital will benefit us immensely in terms of cutting down expenses for the people. We hope that the hospital is equipped with all the health facilities that will benefit us all,” said Sonam Tobgay, another resident of Pema Gatshel.
“We only have a small hospital back in the village. Performing bigger operations isn’t possible. We took my friend’s wife to the Monggar Hospital recently but there was no doctor. So, we came here. I hope the hospital will benefit us greatly,” said Cheten Dorji, a resident of Trashigang.
The hospital was constructed at the cost of Nu 511 M with budgetary support from the Indian Government. The construction was initiated in 2016.
Coinciding with the inauguration, the Ministry of Health handed over the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck Military Hospital to the Royal Bhutan Army (RBA).
Dewathang Military Hospital was inaugurated by the Third Druk Gyalpo Jigme Dorji Wangchuck in 1965 and this year marks 58 years of its establishment.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Sonam Pem
