It has been a year since the people of Buli in Zhemgang received a new 10-bedded hospital. But they are yet to avail themselves of the services of the newly constructed hospital. The hospital was scheduled to open for public service by January. But it was deferred due to a lack of health staff amid the pandemic.
As of today, the hospital has the basic medical equipment including an ultrasound machine, baby incubator, X-Ray machine, dental care equipment, stretchers and patient beds. But what it doesn’t seem to have for now to launch services is enough manpower required to run these machines. Only two health staff have joined the hospital so far. The rests are yet to join.
“We were told that the hospital will be functional with adequate health staff by January this year. They said the hospital will have around 30 healthcare workers including doctors and nurses. But today, even after a year since the completion of the hospital, we cannot see any doctor or other staff at the hospital. We really do not understand what the actual problem is,” said Kinzang a resident of Buli.
“We need not travel to faraway hospitals like the Yabilaptsha, Zhemgang and Gelegphu hospital for medical services if the hospital here opens. I recently visited the new hospital and saw that it already has the equipment. We hope it will open soon so that we can avail ourselves of the services,” added Tshewang Lhamo.
According to the Dzongkhag Health Officer (DHO), the pandemic delayed the opening of the hospital. The staff posted for the new hospital were retained at the national referral hospital amid the pandemic. He added that the recruitment of supporting staff is on-going and that the hospital will open as soon as it receives the required human resource.
Once the hospital opens, it will not only benefit the people of Nangkhor Gewog but nearby Gewogs of Shingkhar and Bardo as well.
The new hospital was constructed at the cost of Nu 18.3 M under the Small Development Project funded by the government of India.
Pema Samdrup, Zhemgang
