In its proposal to the prime minister, the National Medical Services has proposed to decongest the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital to ensure service quality and reliability of health services. This is one of the four recommendations proposed by the National Medical Services. During the Meet the Press session, today, the prime minister outlined the four recommendations to improve services at the hospital.
To reduce overcrowding at the hospital, the prime minister said that people can visit the four Thromde Health Centres in Thimphu for consultations. These centres will offer diagnostic and laboratory services.
“We need to extend medical and surgical wards but there are insufficient beds. Most of the patients are kept in the emergency ward. Once the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital is ready, mothers and children will be shifted to that hospital. It will create empty wards at the JDWNRH.”
The prime minister added that Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital, which will be a 150-bed hospital will be inaugurated soon.
Another recommendation is the need for an additional budget to enhance services and emergency procurement. The prime minister said that the government is looking for budgetary support to acquire additional CT and MRI machines.
The other recommendation includes the introduction of private medical, dental, and diagnostic centres. Regarding this, the prime minister has called for proposals from interested parties to establish such private centres, with the government planning to assess the feasibility.
The last recommendation includes strategies to retain health workers. For this, the prime minister said that health workers working extra and during off hours will be compensated.
Additionally, there are plans to recruit more health workers, including retired health personnel, and new health workers and foreign health workers.
“The RCSC has approved to provide one-year meritorious promotion to nurses attending special training. This is to encourage nurses to take up special training as our hospital needs them. Moreover, we have also agreed to look into possibilities to provide allowances to nurses during their training, which are currently not available.”
To improve staff welfare at the hospital, the prime minister said plans are underway to establish a DSP canteen, a crèche, and a gym facility.
Namgay Dema
Edited by Sonam Pem
