Nim Dorji | Bumthang

With the inauguration of a traditional medicine unit in Tang basic health unit, people of Tang in Bumthang will no longer travel to Wangdicholing general hospital to avail traditional medicine services.

Of the four gewogs in Bumthang, Tang was the last gewog to get the traditional medicine unit in the dzongkhag.

Health officials said the highest number of patients availing traditional medicine service in Wangdicholing general hospital was from Tang gewog.

Drungtsho Tshering Pelden said the indigenous unit was established, as only the people of Tang gewog travelled to Wangdicholing to avail the service. “Starting the service from the BHU would benefit a lot of people here.”

Tang gup Ugyen Nima said the opening of the traditional medicine unit would benefit people in saving both time and money. “People have to hire vehicles and spend a day to reach Wangdicholing to avail the services and return.”

He explained some elderly people, who cannot visit the hospital, send their prescriptions through friends and relatives to get traditional medicine. “Those people can easily avail the services here now.”

After opening the unit, an elderly health service was also launched, which provides traditional health services to people who are above 60 years.

It was learnt that the Bumthang was one of the five dzongkhags the health ministry nominated to provide the services last year. Service providers from the selected dzongkhag were trained in August last year. 

Drungtsho Tshering Pelden said the programme was initiated to bring traditional health service closer to the people. “There are people in the villages who face both financial and physical challenges to avail the services.” 

Seven staff would be screening and providing traditional health services such as massage and herbal compress therapy, herbal steam, acupuncture, oil therapy. In the last two days more than 100 people availed the elderly health service.

The elderly health service will be conducted in other gewogs too.