The National Traditional Medicine Hospital (NTMH) in Thimphu is planning to start new techniques of treatment such as herbal therapies, meditation and yoga in the current five-year plan. Until now, the treatment was mostly about giving medicines to treat an illness.
Established as a lone medical dispensary unit some five decades ago, today there are over 70 traditional medicine units across the country including the National Traditional Medicine Hospital in Thimphu. There are about 60 drungtshos and more than 100 menpas providing the service in the country. The traditional medicine is gaining popularity across the country with over three hundred thousand patients availing the service in 2018 alone. However the Director General of Departments of Traditional Medicine Service (DTMS) said besides all the development, there has not been much improvement in the methods used for treatment.
“We are trying to introduce a lot of therapies here. We have already come out with various guidelines and standards for therapies and wellness. So we are in collaboration with stakeholders like tourism. And I think the Faculty of Tradition Medicine also started courses in these therapies,” Kuenga Tshering, the Director General of DTMS, said.
The Director General of Department of medical services and officiating health minister Dr Pandup Tshering said the maintenance of traditional medicine not only adds dimensions to the nation’s system of health care but also provides an alternative health care services to the people.
The traditional medicine day celebrated recently was themed engaging traditional medicine in health care. This, they said is in line with the plan to use therapy along with medicine which would result in better and quick healing.
A traditional medicine health promotion manual, a herbal tea and a herbal elixir were also launched on the day.
