Yangyel Lhaden
The Bhutan Kidney Foundation (BKF) celebrated its 12th Foundation Day by opening a new shelter for kidney patients in Gelephu on August 15 to support individuals from financially constrained backgrounds or those without relatives.
Situated just a short walk from the Gelephu Central Regional Referral Hospital, the facility has two flats, each with three bedrooms, and can house up to 13 patients. The facility will provide food and lodging services and enable kidney patients to undergo timely dialysis treatments.
BKF’s Executive Director Tashi Namgay said that the shelter would play a significant role in preventing patients from missing vital treatments due to logistical or financial barriers. “There have been some cases where patients have skipped dialysis in the past because they couldn’t afford to find a nearby centre or cover the out-of-pocket expenses.”
Currently, Gelephu has 68 kidney patients, adding to the 402 nationwide undergoing dialysis.
The shelter is expected to relieve some of the strain on patients and their families, offering not just accommodation but also access to essential services such as nutritional guidance and healthcare support.
“We currently have five kidney patients who are in dire need of this shelter and will be using this facility,” Tashi Namgay said.
Gelephu is one of the six locations in Bhutan with dialysis centres, alongside Thimphu, Paro, Samtse, Phuentsholing, Mongar, and Wangdue.
This initiative is part of the BKF’s broader mission to ensure that no kidney patient in Bhutan is left without the necessary care and support during their treatment journey, according to a BKF’s press release.
The BKF was founded as a Civil Society Organisation on August 15, 2012 under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty the Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck.The Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the lives of individuals affected by kidney-related diseases through awareness, advocacy, and support services. BKF’s initiatives focus on raising awareness about kidney health, improving access to medical services, and providing essential assistance to patients and their families.
Since its establishment, the Foundation has supported more than 100 kidney patients with additional funding who were referred to India for kidney transplants by the government. Most of BKF’s beneficiaries—almost 90 percent—come from rural Bhutan.
BKF established its first kidney patient shelter in Wangdue.
“I thank BKF’s supporters within and outside the country for making the establishment of shelters possible,” Tashi Namgay said. “These shelters will have a positive impact on the lives of many kidney patients who need our support and care.”