Much to the convenience of kidney patients in Wangdue Phodrang, a shelter has opened near the District Hospital. This will ensure that kidney patients will not have to travel long distances while coming to the hospital for dialysis service. It is also expected to help address congestion issues at the Dialysis Unit in Thimphu. The Wangdue Phodrang District Hospital currently treats around 15 kidney patients most of whom have to come from Trongsa and Punakha.
With much excitement, 22-year-old Thinley Wangchuk is informing his parents that he now has a comfortable place to stay near Wangdue Hospital to receive dialysis treatment.
The eldest of five siblings has been diagnosed with kidney failure when he was studying in the seventh grade. And he has been undergoing dialysis treatment since 2018.
He was transferred to the new shelter from Thimphu to ease the congestion issue at the dialysis unit in the capital.
As his parents live in the village in Bumthang, he stayed with his relatives at Serbithang in Thimphu to receive treatment from the National Referral Hospital until now. He said it was difficult for him to travel to the dialysis unit twice every week due to the health problem and financial issues.
“I had to pay Nu 500 as taxi fare to reach the hospital from Serbethang. So, I was feeling hesitant to ask my parents and relatives for money sometimes, as they also do not have much source of income. Now, it will be more convenient for me since the shelter is nearby the hospital. I will not have to look for a vehicle, I can easily walk to the hospital. It has become extremely convenient compared to Thimphu.”
Today, Thinley Wangchuk is the only patient in the new shelter. The Bhutan Kidney Foundation is providing the shelter. The foundation is planning to accommodate other patients after discussing with the hospital.
The new shelter comprising four rooms has been inaugurated and opened for the patients from yesterday coinciding with the 11th Foundation Day of the Bhutan Kidney Foundation.
Laytshog Lopen of the Central Monastic Body who is also the president of the foundation graced the inauguration ceremony. It is located at Rinchengang, below the hospital.
The shelter will be jointly managed by the Bhutan Kidney Foundation and Wangdue District Hospital. The foundation pays the monthly rental charge of Nu 8,000. Similarly, it will also provide rations for the patients for free during their stay in the shelter.
“The main reason behind this is to ensure that kidney patients who are concentrated in the capital, Thimphu undergoing dialysis, get access to adequate dialysis sessions. So, we thought that we can complement and we can ease flow of the patients in Thimphu,” said Tashi Namgay, Executive Director of Bhutan Kidney Foundation.
“Our kidney patients are finding it difficult to reach on time for their dialysis sessions while coming from far-flung places. Moreover, roadblocks during monsoon also hamper them to reach on time. However, with a shelter nearby the hospital, they can attend their dialysis sessions on time now. Since they are nearby the hospital, we can also attend to them immediately when they are sick. It will really help save their life,” said Sonam Norbu, a nurse in the dialysis section.
The shelter can accommodate six patients along with their attendants and has a provision for ten if required.
It has a kitchen and washroom facilities as well. Officials from the Kidney Foundation say the room should be sanitized and well-maintained as kidney patients are prone to infectious diseases.
The foundation runs all its operations from the funds it receives through the networks within the country and abroad.
“There are six districts where the government is providing dialysis services. So, every service centre requires shelter for the patients, as around 90 per cent of patients are from far-flung villages. Those patients are suffering a lot when they do not have relatives and places to stay nearby the hospital. Therefore, we are starting our plan which is small of course but would upgrade it gradually. However, it will entirely depend upon our supporters,” said Tashi Namgay.
This is the foundation’s second shelter for kidney patients. The first was opened in Gelephu around seven years ago. The foundation says works are underway to set up another shelter in Monggar as well.
According to the foundation, there could be more than five hundred people living with kidney diseases in the country.
The foundation says there are more than 375 patients undergoing dialysis in the country as of today.
Besides the two shelters, the kidney patients have a Kidu Patients’ Guesthouse in Thimphu.
Changa Dorji, Wangdue Phodrang
Edited by Phub Gyem
