Jigmi Wangdi
Since February this year, despite government plans for various incentives to enhance services and boost morale of health workers at the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH), no such initiatives have been implemented nearly six months later.
Initially, based on the requests from the hospital staff for a canteen, the Prime Minister said that a DSP canteen similar to the ones at Chubachu, Kaja Throm and Royal Takin Preserve, would be set up at the hospital to offer food at a cheaper rate to the staff ans at market rates for the public. Plans were in place to establish a crèche for the children of hospital staff and a gym facility for the staff themselves. The Prime Minister also mentioned intentions to recruit new doctors, engage retired health workers, consider one-year meritorious promotions for those attending special training, and provide clinical allowances.
Such incentives were aimed at ensuring that the morale of the medical staff at JDWNRH would be lifted, improving health services and also addressing the attrition rate at the same time.
Today, the situation at the national referral hospital has remained the same, without any of the incentives, which had previously been recommended.
The health workers at JDWNRH shared their concerns on the issue, highlighting that the morale of the staff has reached an all-time low.
A health worker shared that there is a subconscious pressure when all the healthcare professionals are moving abroad.
“Most healthcare workers are burned out and the recruits are inefficient in filling the gaps quickly, hence patient care is greatly compromised,” the health worker said.
The health worker added that the crèche promised for workers with children and other facilities are yet to be installed.
“There is this domino effect, especially when competent and seasoned clinicians explore for better pay, work environment and opportunities, it becomes very discouraging to the newly joined clinicians,” the health worker shared.
Recently, to address the overburdening of nurses and deliver proper services, a 12-hour shift system was also introduced.
According to a doctor, the nurses have to do the shift from two to four times a week. Health workers shared concerns on how it could lead to further burnout among the staff.
Apart from the overtime payment received, health workers currently do not have any financial incentives provided for them.
Heath workers also shared that the working environment has become increasingly tedious, adding that recruiting foreign nurses and paying them higher greatly discouraged the local clinicians.
“Many of the health workers are already preparing to leave. A major challenge with nurses and other health workers is the limited professional development offered by the government compared to physicians. We don’t expect the government to provide equal opportunity with the physicians but rather to have equity with the opportunities,” a health worker shared.
Similarly, a nurse working at a regional referral hospital shared that the attrition rate can be linked to many factors and that financial prospects do not play a major role.
“It is more about how valuable they feel. The government has invested less in upgrading the skills of nurses, and the young nurses give more importance to career development and advancement which is lacking at the moment in the country,” a nurse said.
The nurse added that the silo mentality that has been built within the workforce hampers any new opportunity for change and growth. “It has now become a major reason for frustration in the workplace and reluctance to change. These push the nurses outside of the country.”
The health ministry has previously shared that efforts were being made to enhance the working conditions of the health workers, such as introducing overtime pay for extended shifts and establishing a clearer career pathway for health workers.
However, as plans are not being implemented expeditiously, frustration and dissatisfaction are building among the health workers.