Health ministry commits rural health access amid staffing woes

Jigmi Wangdi

Despite facing ongoing shortages of medical professionals in urban centers, the health ministry has reaffirmed its firm commitment to delivering healthcare services to all rural and remote regions of the country.

During the Meet-the-Press session yesterday, Health Minister Tandin Wangchuk said that equitable access to healthcare services across all corners of the country remains a top priority, irrespective of population density or logistical hurdles.

Addressing concerns about achieving this goal amid strained resources, he said that the ministry will implement a multi-layered strategy. This approach focuses on enhanced mobile outreach and the strategic deployment of existing personnel.

Central to this plan is the expansion of specialised health camps under the “Reaching the Unreached” initiative, Lyonpo said. This model aims to avoid the unsustainable practice of permanent postings in remote areas by instead relying on rotating teams of health specialists.

Under this tiered approach, specialists from national referral hospitals will be dispatched to regional referral hospitals, which will, in turn, send their specialists to cluster hospitals. These cluster hospitals will then serve surrounding communities through targeted health camps.

Furthermore, district hospitals will receive periodic visits from specialists, while their own doctors will travel to primary health centers to deliver essential care. This systematic rotation is designed to ensure that even the most isolated areas receive specialist attention without overextending limited health workforce.

Lyonpo also said that the ministry’s continued collaboration with international volunteer groups, such as the Himalayan Cataract Foundation and Interplast. These organisations will continue to assist in providing specialised services to remote communities through pre-planned outreach camps.

While existing partnerships are being maintained, the ministry is actively seeking new collaborators to bring in expertise that is currently lacking within Bhutan’s health system, Lyonpo said.

Regarding the issue of whether some Basic Health Units (BHUs) should be closed due to rural-urban migrationand low populations in certain areas, he said that the ministry is adopting a cautious, evidence-based approach.

As rural depopulation becomes more pronounced and road connectivity improves across the country, the ministry plans to evaluate the relevance and utilisation of each health facility under the upcoming 13th Plan, Lyonpo added.

He also said that the health infrastructure expansion and consolidation will be guided by an “Evidence-Informed Approach,” considering factors such as population size, patient load, and road accessibility.

“While there are no immediate plans to shut down any BHUs, the ministry will review all facilities to ensure they are efficiently serving their communities. The overarching goal is to ensure that no citizen is left without access to essential health services,” Lyonpo said.

To further bridge existing healthcare gaps, the ministry also plans to roll out Mobile Medical Vans during the current fiscal year 2024-2025, designed to bring vital services directly to some of the country’s most inaccessible regions.

Through these concerted efforts, the ministry aims to balance the growing demands in urban centers with the critical needs of rural populations, reaffirming that healthcare remains a fundamental right for all Bhutanese, regardless of their geographical location.