To enhance the country’s healthcare services, the health ministry opened the country’s first-ever heart centre at the National Referral Hospital in Thimphu. His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo has granted a budget of around Nu 70 M for the centre. The ministry has plans to upgrade the centre to a cardiology department with more services.
The establishment of the heart centre at the National Referral Hospital will provide services such as diagnosing and treating heart diseases that do not require significant surgeries.
According to Mahesh Gurung, an interventional cardiologist at the hospital, the facility will offer a range of treatments including prevention and treatment of heart attack.
“For patients who have abnormal heartbeats, who require pacemaker implants can also be done here. And for patients who have congenital heart disease, by birth they have some hole in the heart, or some who have acquired valvular heart disease that is leaking can be closed or the valves can be replaced with minimally invasive surgery.”
He added that until now, the national referral hospital referred 90 per cent of the patients with heart complications abroad for treatment spending around Nu 1bn annually.
The health minister said once the centre is upgraded to a cardiology department, all kinds of heart surgeries would be performed at the referral hospital.
Today, the heart centre has one interventional cardiologist and ten trained nurses. One more cardiologist who is currently undergoing specialist training in Thailand is expected to join the team soon.
Namgay Dema
Edited by Sonam Pem
