The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Druk Nyamrup Tshogpa (DNT)’s manifesto presents a comprehensive plan of action to improve health system efficiency through the use of technology, strengthen the healthcare workforce, enhance healthcare financing, and expand and improve the quality of health services across the country.
DNT aims to revolutionize the health system by harnessing information and technology to improve efficiency. Their ultimate goal is to increase the human capital index from 0.475 in 2020 to 0.61 by 2029, and life expectancy to 75 years by 2034.
Key goals include controlling and eliminating priority public health diseases, strengthening health emergency preparedness, and building capacity for rapid response to emergencies.
To achieve these objectives, DNT will focus on strengthening the health sector workforce by increasing the number of health workers, improving the quality of their training and education, and enhancing the management of teaching professionals. Access to quality services will be improved through investments in national and international standards, people-centered mental health care, and timely access to essential medical products and services.
DNT also plans to ensure the quality and safety of healthcare service delivery, provide safe water and sanitation, strengthen disability prevention and management, and establish a reference center for disease control and prevention. These strategies aim to improve health outcomes, reduce the burden of infectious diseases, and prepare for future emergencies.
In terms of healthcare financing, DNT manifesto outlines several approaches, including increasing domestic financing for health, mobilizing resources from international donors, and exploring innovative financing mechanisms such as health insurance and user fees. The party also emphasizes the importance of efficiency and equity in health financing and encourages public-private partnerships aligned with public health goals.
The manifesto further highlights the need to enhance medical and health teaching professionals by improving the quality of their education, providing ongoing professional development opportunities, and creating a supportive work environment. DNT also plans to strengthen the tertiary health education sector by developing a curriculum aligned with international standards and providing scholarships and incentives for students to study medicine.
In terms of medical and health research, the DNT manifesto emphasizes the importance of funding research in priority areas, creating a supportive research environment, and promoting the dissemination of research findings. The party also aims to partner with businesses to provide social protection benefits such as healthcare or pensions.
To protect and promote better health, DNT plans to expand and improve the quality of health services across the nation. This includes completing the construction of a multi-disciplinary super specialty hospital to provide services in-country without the need for referral abroad. The party also aims to upgrade hospitals with more equipment, and doctors at the gewog and district levels, expand the electronic patient information system (ePIS) to all hospitals, and enhance the delivery of specialist and diagnostic services at the gewog level.
Additionally, the DNT manifesto outlines plans to control and eliminate priority public health diseases, improve the working conditions and incentives for health workers, and promote the indigenous medicine system as a center of regional and global excellence. The party also highlights the importance of home-based health care services and preventive measures for vulnerable and at-risk populations.
