The concept for the establishment of a super-specialty hospital in the country is ready says the health minister at Friday media meet session today. Establishing a super speciality-hospital is one of the pledges of the government that is expected to provide tertiary health care in the country.
For the tertiary health service, the new hospital will be constructed in phase wise. Health Minister Dechen Wangmo said it will first study and consider the prevalence of diseases and the needs of health services in the country.
“We have already developed the concept and included all things needed. For this, we looked at referrals outside, things needed in the country, existing diseases including the new ones. So we are reviewing all these and planning the services,” she said.
For now, the ministry is considering to construct the hospital at the land earmarked for education city at Wangsisina in Thimphu, which remains idle after the project was shut down. But before finalizing, the ministry will carry out a feasibility study of the site.
The 12th Five-Year-Plan does not include the establishment of a super-specialty hospital but the government is working towards mobilizing resources.
“To construct one hospital, it cost about Nu 3bn and above and the health budget for five years is Nu 3.5bn. So we have a huge responsibility to mobilize the resources. As the government of the day, we are confident that we will be able to fulfil this,” Health Minister Dechen Wangmo said.
The government says the establishment of a super-specialty hospital will play an integral role in not only cutting down the costs of referrals cases but in taking the health care system to the next level.
