The Damphu hospital in Tsirang, which also serves as a referral center, is having difficulty coping up. The hospital has only two doctors and a Health Assistant manning about 100 patients a day.
Moreover, the hospital also receives referral patients for Basic Health Units across the Dzongkhag and Dagana, since the hospital id equipped with Ultrasound and X-ray machine.
“…If we have to increase the quality of service and if we have to provide timely service without increasing waiting time for the patients, I think we should have enough manpower…” said the Senior Medical Officer, Dr. Tejnath Nepal.
The hospital is looking for an additional doctor or a clinical officer to cope with the increasing number of patients. The only assistant clinical officer was transferred in February, this year.
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A patient, Kezang Chogyel, said he hasn’t been able to see the doctor for quite some time. He said they have to stand in a queue for hours before they can see the doctor.
Tsirang’s Dzongkhag Health Officer, Dawa Tashi, says even though they are trying their best, maintaining quality is proving to be difficult.
The Dzongkhag Health Officer said the Damphu hospital is getting higher number of referral cases as compared to hospitals in Dagana, Sarpang, Yebilaptsha and Bumthang.
In 2011, Damphu hospital received 11,000 patients. It increased to 33,000 in 2013. “We have already approached our ministry and we hope to get two more doctors by the end of this year,” said Dawa Tashi.
