A little over a year since it came into being, the traditional medicine unit at Mendrelgang BHU in Tsirang has been seeing an increasing number of patients. So far the unit has seen more than 3000 patients with different ailments.
Around 10-20 patients visit the traditional medicinal unit every day at Mendrelgang BHU. The unit caters to the people of Mendrelgang, Padthshaling and Barshong gewog. 54-year-old Mindu Wangmo is a regular patient at the unit. She has been resorting to traditional medicine as a preferred choice of treatment for a chronic stomach ailment for the past 14 years. She said the opening of such a unit in the gewog has benefitted her immensely:
“We have to take long term medication. Now that we have a unit in our area we need not travel a long distance to avail the services.”
Like Mindu other people in the locality visit the unit to treat various illnesses.
“I was suffering from a skin disease, ringworm. I tried every cream and even tried hot spring bath but didn’t help. After getting treatment at the traditional medicine unit my skin got better,” said Tshering Drukpa.
“I have hypertension. In the past, I took allopathic medicines for almost four months but it didn’t help. Then I chose traditional medication. It helped a lot and now I feel better. It’s running almost 4 years now,” added Karma Tshomo.
Choki Dorji, a senior menpa is providing the services today.
“Before joining the BHU I worked with the Tsirang district hospital. During that time I went to around twelve gewogs sensitizing and creating awareness on the benefits of traditional medicine. Now they understand and I think that is one reason for the increased turnout,” he said.
Today, Choki alone at the unit provides almost every traditional medicinal service. However, due to inadequate space, treatments such as steam therapy (Langdu) are referred to the dzongkhag hospital.
Mendrelgang BHU is the only BHU in Tsirang, which has a traditional medicinal unit.
Namgay Wangchuk
