Jigmi Wangdi

Kanglung residents and Sherubtse College students in Trashigang trained on the basic and essential medical equipment through a Sherubtse College and Kyoto University in Japan project earlier this month.

The project also distributed medical equipment including sixty pulse oximeters, fifteen non-contact thermometers, and fifteen digital sphygmomanometers.

This was an initiative under the JICA Partnership Program, Human Resource Development towards Community Building by University -Community Engagement in Trashigang.

A project official, Chandra said, “The main motive for distributing the equipment is that the health system depends on the contribution of human resources, health technologies and medical devices.”

The equipment will enable villagers to easily avail medical services such as testing their blood pressure and body temperature through the respective healthcare providers in their community.

These equipment shall also provide convenience to the villager to receive a proper test of their vital signs before visiting the medical health centres nearest to them. The normal range for an individual’s vital signs depends significantly on their health condition, age, weight, and height, among others.

“These measurements are taken to help assess the general physical health of a person. It gives a clue to possible diseases and shows the progress towards one’s recovery,” Chandra said.

The project team led by project manager, Dr Ryota Sakamoto also met with health officials from hospitals in Bartsham and Khaling, along with village health workers and supplied them with the new medical equipment.

Students of Population Development Studies in Sherubtse College were also trained to use medical equipment.