The Indigenous Medical Service Unit at Lauri Basic Health Unit (BHU) in Samdrup Jongkhar is benefitting the locals. The unit, which was set up last year, started to provide almost all the indigenous medical services three months ago.
The villagers say they now no longer have to travel around 60 kilometres to Jomotshangkha Dungkhag for the services.
The unit today sees about 10 patients daily.
“I was suffering from chest and knee pain. I availed myself of the indigenous medical service and I feel better already. It seems to heal the pain,” said Sonam Zangmo from Lauri Gewog.
“My nose was blocked for three years. I sought indigenous medical treatment and it feels better. In the past, I took other medicines but it didn’t get any better,” added Dorji Lham also from Lauri.
The unit provides indigenous medical services like heated oil compression (Numtsug), localise steam application treatment (langdug), urine sample analysis, cupping (mey bum), nasal cleansing (najong) among others.
The health official in the unit said they have plans to provide other indigenous medical services as well.
“We have plans to offer other services like fomentation for the people with joint pain. We will also look into providing electrocauterization (ratshug and shingtshug) services soon as instructed by the Ministry of Health,” said Thinley Dorji, Traditional Clinical Assistant at the unit.
Besides the villagers of Lauri, the unit also caters indigenous medical services to villagers of Khashateng chiwog of Merag Gewog in Trashigang Dzongkhag.
Kinley Wangchuk
