Residents of Tashithang Gewog, earlier known as Samrang Gewog in Samdrup Jongkhar, are calling for better healthcare services. The local health sub-post has only one staff member, making it difficult for the people to get timely care when the lone staff member is away on training or official duties. To address this challenge, they are urging authorities to upgrade the health sub-post into a primary health centre.
The health sub-post sees about four to five patients in a day. However, during emergencies, residents struggle to get medical services when the lone health staff member is out of the station.
For serious cases, they are often forced to travel 24 kilometres to Samdrupcholing Hospital to get health services.
“When health staff stay here, it’s okay. But when he is out, those who need health services really struggle. We have to hire a vehicle and go to the nearest hospital,” said Kishore Rai, a resident of Tashithang Gewog, Samdrup Jongkhar.
“Sometimes the health staff is away even during emergencies. We need one additional staff member here, especially as the population is increasing day by day,” said Ran Maya Rai, another resident of Tashithang Gewog, Samdrup Jongkhar.
At the recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu, the Tashithang Gup said that with coal mining, the Bhutan Livestock Development Corporation, and other projects coming up, upgrading the sub-post to a primary health centre is crucial to meet the community’s growing healthcare needs.
“Every gewog should have a primary health centre. In the past, Tashithang’s small population managed with a sub-post. But with the population now growing, a primary health centre is needed. At present, residents have to travel about 29 kilometres to the nearest hospital, making access to timely medical care very difficult,” said Jigme Singay Drukpa, Tashithang Gup, Samdrup Jongkhar.
The Dzongkhag Tshogdu had forwarded the issue to the health ministry for necessary action.
Until then, timely healthcare remains a long journey for the 87 households and over 500 residents of Tashithang Gewog.
Kinley Wangchuk, Samdrup Jongkhar
Edited by Sonam Pem
