A team of about 40 health officials from Thailand performed total knee replacement surgeries free of cost at the National Referral Hospital in Thimphu. This is the first time Thai health officials conducted such a surgery in Bhutan. Knee replacement surgery involves removing the damaged joint and replacing it with a man-made artificial joint. The three-day surgery camp under the project ‘Love for Humanity’ ended on 23rd November.
Doctor Keerati, along with 39 other Thai health officials, performed total knee replacement surgeries in the National Referral Hospital. The team consists of surgeons, nurses, and technical staff.
“There are two purposes. First, to serve the people who suffer from the disease. We as experts, give love through surgeries by fixing and returning the quality of life to the patients. Secondly, we want to promote our health services by collaborating with our students in Bhutan to set up a team of orthopaedics in the country and serve the people,” said Dr Keerati, president of the Orthopedic Department, Sisiraj Faculty of Medicine, Thailand.
The team brought along advanced surgical equipment worth more than Nu 17 M that ensures minimal scarring and swift recovery.
A similar camp was held in Nepal last year where the team carried out 36 knee surgeries.
The camp at the National Referral Hospital focused on people who are 65 years and above and who usually suffer from knee-related issues. The doctors conducted 75 knee replacement surgeries, averaging 25 surgeries per day.
The National Referral Hospital usually performs only two such procedures per day. Bhutanese orthopaedics were also involved in the surgeries.
“The surgeries started as soon as the Thai doctors reached here yesterday. Yesterday we did about 16 knees around nine patients. We did about eight single knees and four of both the knees of the patients. Today we are targeting to do about 28 knees which would make about 20 patients. And 28 knees and 25 patients for tomorrow. So that would make a total of 75 knees and 54 patients. As far as I know, this is the highest the camp has done so far,” said Dr Gyem Dorji, head of the department of Orthopedics, JDWNRH.
Currently, there are only two orthopaedics in the country. The National Referral Hospital began offering knee replacement surgery two years ago and has conducted 60 surgeries so far.
Tashi Dekar
Edited by Sonam Pem
