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Bhutan has made significant progress in achieving the Universal Immunisation coverage target. The country has vaccinated 99.6 per cent of children so far. This is according to data released by the Ministry of Health in 2023. In line with World Immunisation Week, the next story reflects how the country’s immunisation programme has made its mark with continuous support from the United Nations Children’s Fund, or UNICEF since its inception in 1979.

During the Meet The Press session this afternoon, the prime minister said the Department of Tourism has been asked to draft the Standard Operating Procedure to implement the revised Sustainable Development Fees or SDF waiver for Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions or MICE tourists. The government has agreed to implement the waiver in principle but is now awaiting the SOP for implementation.

The loan deferments for businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic are ending on the 30th of June. During today's 'Meet the Press' session, the finance minister informed that the ministry and the central bank will not intervene, instead, let the banks assess the situation. According to Finance Minister Lekey Dorji, experts from various multilateral banks and local economists have advised the government against the deferment.

As an initiative to mobilise the one billion US dollars fund for the conservation of tigers and tiger landscapes, the United Nations Development Programme, UNDP has presented the Tiger Landscapes Investment Fund as a sustainable financing. This is one of the many financing instruments to mobilise the USD 1bn over the next ten years. However, for now, the office has yet to secure the fund.

Local leaders in Zhemgang couldn’t move past the Bhutan Bird Festival which was held in November last year. During the district’s recent Dzongkhag Tshogdu, the local leaders recommended the district administration organise the Bhutan Bird Festival more efficiently, utilising locally available resources. They condemned the organisers of this time’s bird festival for hiring costly tents from Thimphu and not offering any opportunities to the people of Zhemgang during the festival.   

To help industrialists and business owners understand the importance and types of insurance for their businesses, Bhutan Insurance Limited, along with the central bank and the Samtse District Administration, held a day-long insurance literacy programme in Samtse yesterday.

Her Majesty Queen Mother Sangay Choden Wangchuck graced the grand opening of the “Intersection of Tradition and Innovation: From Pixel to Fabrics” exhibition on...

Today is International Girls in ICT Day. The day is aimed at inspiring girls and young women to pursue careers in Information and Communications Technology. Globally, there is a huge disparity of women and girls’ representation in STEM-related fields. In Bhutan, there are still challenges with low participation of women and young girls in ICT and STEM fields. To address this, the Government Technology Agency, GovTech, organised a competition for women professionals and college students to encourage their involvement in the ICT fields.

Over 20 per cent of children below six years of age are affected by the helicobacter pylori or H.pylori. This is according to a research which is the first of its kind conducted only in Thimphu last year. H.pylori is a bacteria that increases the risks of developing gastric cancer. The research revealed that poor hygiene and dietary habits were the risk factors for the infection among children. Doctors from the National Referral Hospital said it is not alarming but there is a need to eradicate it to avoid future complications.

Cancer patients in the country can now undergo surgeries within two weeks of diagnosis. Thanks to the Extended Clinical Services introduced by the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu. Since the introduction of the service in December last year, surgeons and health workers have performed surgeries on cancer patients during weekends and government holidays. The service aims to reduce patient waiting time and improve service delivery.