After two months of its establishment, the herbal steaming unit at Wangdichholing General Hospital in Bumthang is seeing an increasing number of patients every day. The patients are mostly elderly people.
From November 30till today, over 80 patients have visited the indigenous unit for herbal steaming to cure joint pains, backache, swollen feet and other lifestyle diseases.
Lham Sithup, 54, has been suffering from back ache and swollen feet since few years back. He was one of the patients who came to avail himself of the steaming facility at the unit. “Initially when the steaming was started, there was not much equipment, so I had to travel to Thimphu. However today, the equipment needed for the steaming is available so I came here to cure my backache and swollen feet. But it takes time to heal the pain.”
The Dungtsho of the indigenous unit said herbal steaming is advisable for people aged 15 years and above. “The steaming helps to cure joint pains, back ache, and bone fracture. It is advisable for the patients to steam for maximum 7 days and minimum three days. Time to time steaming is also important for the patients,” said Tshering Pelden.
The indigenous unit has all the equipment required for herbal steaming except some chairs for the patients. The Dungtsho has,therefore,put up a proposal to the administration section of the hospital. However, with the opening of the herbal steaming, the burden on the only medical doctor in the hospital has been reduced to some extent.
