The Bhutanese Leading the way.
The National Medical Services, in collaboration with the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital has launched Bhutan’s first Peritoneal Dialysis Service at JDWNRH, marking a major milestone in the country’s renal care programme and expanding treatment options for people living with kidney failure.
Peritoneal dialysis allows eligible patients, following appropriate training and with regular follow-up by trained healthcare professionals, to carry out dialysis at home. This provides patients with greater flexibility and may reduce the need for frequent visits to dialysis centres.
Currently, 478 patients are undergoing haemodialysis at eight dialysis centres across the country. Until now, haemodialysis has been the primary form of renal replacement therapy available in Bhutan and continues to play a vital role in the management of patients with kidney failure.
With the introduction of Peritoneal dialysis, eligible patients will now have an additional treatment option, which can be considered based on their clinical condition, lifestyle, preferences, and individual circumstances.
Peritoneal dialysis is a form of treatment that uses the patient’s peritoneal membrane to remove waste products and excess fluid from the body. Unlike conventional haemodialysis, PD can be performed at home after appropriate training, offering greater flexibility and reducing the need for frequent travel to dialysis centres. This can be particularly beneficial for patients living in areas far from dialysis facilities or those who face challenges associated with regular travel for treatment.
As part of the initiative, the Peritoneal Dialysis Patient Handbook has also been launched to support patients and caregivers in understanding and safely managing treatment at home. The handbook provides essential guidance on the PD procedure, infection prevention, catheter care, recognition of potential complications, and other important aspects of home-based dialysis. It is intended to strengthen the confidence and capacity of patients and caregivers to safely continue treatment outside the hospital setting.
To ensure the availability of skilled human resources to provide the service, doctors and nurses from JDWNRH have received specialised training in Peritoneal dialysis at Siriraj Hospital in Thailand. The training has strengthened the clinical team’s capacity in patient assessment, initiation and monitoring of PD, infection prevention, and patient education.
The launch of Bhutan’s first Peritoneal dialysis service is therefore more than the introduction of a new treatment modality. It represents a significant step towards ensuring that people living with kidney failure have greater choice, improved access, and care that is responsive to their individual needs and circumstances.
The Peritoneal dialysis service is planned for progressive rollout across all 20 districts of Bhutan.
