Due to limited dialysis centres in the country, getting dialysis services is difficult for many kidney patients. People of eastern districts have to travel all the way to Monggar for dialysis service. To ease the burden, Bartsham-Shongphu’s Member of Parliament, Passang Dorji (PhD), during the question hour session today, asked the health minister about the possibility of establishing a dialysis centre in Trashigang. However, the health minister said the ministry doesn’t have any plan to start the service in Trashigang at least for now. Lyonpo added that this is considering the not-so-alarming number of kidney patients in the district and due to financial constraints. The minister said the ministry will, however, establish one in Dewathang in Samdrup Jongkhar. The country has eight dialysis centres as of today.
“When we start the dialysis services, it costs about Nu 40 M and we need additional health workers. The current per capita of a dialysis centre in the country is one of the highest in the region. We do aspire to provide but providing services without evidence is not justifiable,” said Health Minister Dechen Wangmo.
