Nim Dorji  | Trongsa

With no medical shop in Trongsa town, residents have to visit the hospital even to get a pill for a minor illness, residents said.

The only medical shop in town closed more than six months ago.

A resident, Jigme said that children and elders suffer from motion sickness.

When there was a medical shop in town, for minor illnesses like cough and headache residents said they could buy the medicine from the store.

Another resident, Tshering said that sometimes when the doctors prescribe medicine that is unavailable in the hospitals they have to ask their relatives and friends in other dzongkhags to buy and send it.

Others, who don’t own a car, said that in absence of the medical store in the town they have to hire a taxi to go to the hospital even for a single tablet.

Another major problem is that the only condom vending machine in town is non-functional. It has been difficult to get contraceptive like before. Some men Kuensel spoke to said they were too shy to visit the hospital to get condoms. Some shared concerns about unwanted pregnancies.

Thromdey Thuemi Karma Lethro said, “It’s very important to have a medical shop in the town to get any kind of service during an emergency.”

Many commuters travelling via Trongsa also seek medicines in emergencies, he said.

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