The plan to construct a 20-bedded hospital in Nganglam, Pema Gatshel is not dropped according to the Health Minister. Answering a query at today’s session of the National Assembly, the minister said that the project has only been de-prioritized in the 12th Five Year Plan.
According to the Khar-Yurung MP, the hospital, which was one of the pledges of the DNT during the bye-election, will be beneficial as people won’t have to travel to Monggar Regional Referral Hospital. The construction of the hospital is estimated to cost about Nu 125 M.
“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to reprioritize the plans. If we construct the hospital, we don’t have labour inside the country and have to depend on workers from other countries. But there are lockdowns and border closures in other countries. So, while prioritizing the plans, it was de-prioritized. There is a difference between de-prioritization and dropping. It is de-prioritized, not dropped,” said Health Minister Dechen Wangmo.
During the bye-election’s common forum, the present Labour Minister, Lyonpo Karma Dorji from the Nganglam constituency pledged to construct a 50-bedded hospital with X-ray and endoscopy facilities in Nganglam.
Tshering Zam
