The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has mobilized approximately 187 health workers to support the upcoming 108 Chorten event in GMC, while assuring the public that essential health services will continue across the country.
A significant number of health professionals are expected to be in GMC in the coming week, raising questions about how hospitals and health centers will manage patient care in their absence.
“A small number of hospitals may have fewer staff than usual because some health personnel have been deployed for GMC duties,” the MoH said.
In response to queries from The Bhutanese, MoH said it had planned for this well in advance.
“The 108 Healthcare Coordination Committee was established approximately two months in advance to assess healthcare capacity and coordinate the mobilization of health workers, medical equipment, medicines and other essential resources required for the GMC,” the ministry said.
The committee comprises the Governor, the Director General of the Department of Health Services, the President of National Medical Services and the Medical Superintendent of the Central Regional Referral Hospital (CRRH).
Besides coordinating the GMC’s healthcare needs, it has been tasked with taking into account the service delivery needs of hospitals, health centers and other facilities across the country.
On the scale of the deployment, MoH said: “Approximately 187 health workers from different professional categories have been mobilized to support the event.”
Moreover, the ministry is coordinating with the relevant health authorities so that the deployment is managed alongside the service delivery requirements of health facilities.
Furthermore, the ministry added that hospitals will continue to prioritize emergency and essential services, and that hospital administrations will ensure the required number of staff is retained to carry out their normal functions.
For the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH), the ministry said staffing arrangements were being coordinated with the relevant health authorities. “Adequate measures have been put in place to ensure that there are the required number of staff to deliver the routine services at JDWNRH,” the ministry said.
MoH described the national referral hospital as particularly important for specialized and emergency medical care.
Health facilities are required to prioritize medical emergencies and urgent care while managing resources to meet standard service demands. To support the large influx of people in GMC, the MoH stated that its medical arrangements are designed to “complement, rather than compromise, the regular health service delivery system,” ensuring that healthcare needs at the event are met without disrupting everyday public care.
