Given the transportation cost and distance between the town and the new dzongkhag hospital, residents of Wangdue are in need of a city bus service to commute between Bajo town and hospital.

Ugyen Om, 45, from Phangyul said that the new hospital had better facilities but was costly to get there. “If I reserve a taxi, it costs me Nu 200 to reach the town from my village and I have to spend Nu 200 more to reach the hospital.”

The new hospital at Jatshokha is about 4km from Bajo.

Sangay Thinley, a shopkeeper at Bajo, said that the hospital was far even for the town residents. “It is inconvenient for the patients’ attendants when they have to go to town to manage meals.”

Some suggested keeping a part of old hospital as a BHU for convenience of the people.

Thedtsho Gup Namgay Wangchuk suggested a city bus service.

Funded by the Punatsangchhu Hydroelectric Project Authority, the 40-bed hospital was opened last month.

Besides providing healthcare services to the people of the dzongkhag’s 15 gewogs, the hospital caters to medical services to the people of Gasa, Punakha, Tsirang, and Dagana.

The hospital is also identified as Emergency Obstetricand Neonatal Care (EmONC) and Trauma centre.

Today, the hospital receives about 300 patients daily.

Chimi Dema | Wangdue