… conducts 55 ear surgeries in its 8th ENT camp

Tshering Namgyal | Mongar

A mobile medical team from Thailand treated 538 ears, nose and throat (ENT) outpatient department cases from the eastern region and few from Thimphu and Phuentsholing in Mongar regional referral hospital.

In the eight ENT camp held on January 7 and 8, 55 ear surgeries were also conducted.

A 15-member team called ‘Thai Medical Friendship Mission to Bhutan’ is a part of the rural ENT foundation in Thailand. The members are volunteers from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, Rajavithi Hospital, Phyathai hospital, Sriraj hospital, Prince of Sonkla University and Bumrungrad international hospital.

Although the camp was scheduled from January 6 to 9, roadblocks because of snow delayed the programme.

The team coordinator, Dr Paniree Charusripan, who is an ENT specialist and an associate professor with the Department of Otolaryngology in Chulalongkorn University, said otitis media (perforation of eardrum and discharge of puss), cerumen infection (ear wax) and meningitis (eardrum infection) and hearing loss at the young age were common problems.

She said cold weather especially in winter that causes nose block and runny nose followed by bacterial infection cause it.

Dr. Paniree said the camp was conducted to help Bhutan reaching its ENT services to the needy ones until Bhutan is well equipped with ENT specialists. “The team is keen on continuing its service until it reached the state where Bhutan doesn’t need the assistance.”

She said they are glad that the number of cases is decreasing every year.

The first ENT camp was conducted in 2008.

An ENT specialist of the national referral hospital, Dr Sonam Jamtsho, said the Thai medical team has benefitted Bhutan in providing ENT service. Bhutan has only five ENT specialists or surgeons as of today.

He said it was difficult for the national team to cover all ENT cases during ENT camp conducted in the regional referral hospitals conducted quarterly. “The Thai ENT experts have helped us.”