In Samtse, the Primary Healthcare Centre catering to the residents of Dorokha Dungkhag is experiencing frequent absence of a medical doctor. Residents say medical staff are out of station most of the time, disrupting essential health services for the public. They are now requesting for a permanent doctor to be placed at the health centre and to upgrade the healthcare facility, which serves three gewogs within the Dorokha Dungkhag.
Currently, without a doctor at the Dorokha Primary Healthcare Center, residents are compelled to travel to Samtse and Phuentshogling for healthcare services and to obtain Medical Certificates.
“We have to travel to Phuentshogling and Samtse which incurs huge expenses for medical needs when our doctor is unavailable. The frequent absence of doctors could be because they are taking leave or are on official duties, or it may have to do with the current shortage of health officials the country is facing,” said Khemnath Mishra, a resident of Dorokha.
“We need better healthcare in Dorokha Primary Healthcare Center. Currently, the grade 1 centre lacks a surgery facility. Providing comprehensive services like other hospitals would greatly benefit the huge population of three gewogs in Dorokha Dungkhag,” said Amber Bdr Ghalley, another resident of Dorokha.
According to the district health officials, the primary healthcare centre has been without a doctor for a few months. The former doctor left in May last year.
The primary healthcare centre then received a doctor recruited on contract. However, she cleared her civil service exams and left to serve in another district.
To address the issue, the health ministry, in December last year, deployed another contract doctor who was later regularised. Following her regularization, she went to Thimphu to attend an induction course leaving the health facility without a doctor once again.
To fill in the gap, the Samtse District Hospital deployed a doctor temporarily for January following which the post became vacant again.
However, hopes are high as health officials and local leaders say that the doctor who was regularized in December is expected to resume duty at the health centre within a week.
Upgraded to a Grade 1 BHU in 2017, the Dorokha Public Healthcare Centre now benefits residents of Dorokha, Denchukha and Dumtoed Gewogs, as well as several villages of Haa District. Dorokha Dungkhag has four Public Healthcare centres, collectively catering to over 12,000 residents.
Passang Dorji, Samtse
Edited by Phub Gyem
