The Bhutan Kidney Foundation is facilitating kidney health consultation along with National Medical Services. Through the consultation service, kidney patients can avail themselves of medical checkups without having to travel abroad, especially in India. An Indian doctor is providing the service which ended today.
Doctor Veeraswamy Tamilarasi, who is the former head of the Nephrology Department at Christian Medical College Hospital in Vellore, India, is leading the consultation along with a nephrologist from the National Referral Hospital.
A nephrologist is a doctor who diagnoses and treats kidney-related conditions.
Doctor Veeraswamy Tamilarasi has been giving free consultation which includes medical checkup, in Bhutan since 2007.
“Many patients used to come every day. I used to see nearly 50 patients, every day, from morning 9 to evening 5. After that, I would go around to see Bhutan, and that is what I went to, every year from 2007 to 2019. After Covid, because of that, I was unable to visit.”
The Bhutan Kidney Foundation said the consultation is an effort to provide comprehensive kidney healthcare service to patients.
“So, economically, we are going to save a lot of money that is Nu 100,000 each for 140 patients, which is a huge amount. So, we are really saving the cost and also saving the vulnerable lives. At the same time, we are trying to enhance our collaboration between government and civil society,” said Tashi Namgay, Bhutan Kidney Foundation’s founder.
“It is an honour to have a doctor here, all the way from CMC Vellore. Instead of going outside, we can consult a doctor here. That way, we are saving a huge amount of money. It is not just helping us, but the community as a whole,” said Choden Namgyel, a kidney patient.
Unlike previous years, the consultation was also conducted at the Monggar Regional Referral Hospital for three days this time.
Singye Dema
Edited by Tshering Zam
