When a job vacancy is advertised, a medical certificate is usually one of the criteria. A medical certificate is a document confirming the state of someone’s health, signed by a medical doctor.
But, people are now questioning the validity of the certificate. Many are saying the certificate, which costs Nu 100 each and expires in six months, are being issued without doctors doing a check-up.
“I recently got my medical certificate from the hospital. The doctors directly signed the paper without checking me,” said a high school graduate, Pankit Lepcha.
A college graduate, Thinely Dorji said if this continues they would never know what illnesses they have and if the medical certificate serves its purpose.
The Medical Superintendent of National Referral Hospital in Thimphu, Dr. Gosar Pemba said jobs that require strenuous physical activity like armed force, police and pilot require Medical certificate unlike desk jobs. He said a Doctor has to follow certain standards to issue a medical certificate.
Dr. Gosar Pemba said for general employment they normally take up blood pressure, pulse rate, check the person’s heart and lungs and look at the general body of the person to see whether they are ill.
For driving license, the check up is stricter with the hospital checking the mental soundness, vision and hearing. “It will depend on the type of certificate which we issue.”
The Royal Civil Service Commission officials said Medical Certificate as one of the required documents has always been in Bhutan Civil Service Rules and Regulations to see if someone is medically fit for employment.
The money collected from the Medical Certificate is used to improve hospital’s services.
