The Bhutanese Leading the way.
With growing public concerns over healthcare service delivery in Samtse and Tashicholing hospitals, the Health Minister, Tandin Wangchuk, said the Ministry of Health (MoH) is fully aware of the challenges and has been working closely with relevant agencies to address them.
Regarding the CT scan issue at Samtse Hospital, Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk explained that the machine itself is safe and intact, but the problem lies in the supporting electrical systems.
“The main challenges have been related to supporting systems, particularly electrical stability and equipment protection,” Lyonpo said, noting that rodent damage to the Printed Circuit Board (PCB) and grounding issues had previously disrupted the service.
He added that those problems have now been resolved following the installation of an earthing system, as recommended by the Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC). However, the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) unit, which stabilizes power to the CT scan, was damaged due to frequent voltage fluctuations common in the southern belt during the monsoon.
MoH is now awaiting spare parts and engineers from the supplier to repair the UPS, and the service is expected to resume within the next month once components arrive.
Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk said, “I want to reassure everyone that the CT scan machine itself has not been compromised in any way and remains securely protected.” He further said. “Once the UPS and related electrical systems are restored, the CT scan service will resume without any further delay.”
On the recent incident at Tashicholing Hospital, where the death of a child reportedly occurred due to the absence of a doctor, Lyonpo expressed his condolences, calling it a deeply tragic loss. He explained that although the hospital was staffed according to standards for a 10-bed facility, with two additional doctors, unexpected situations had led to a shortage.
One doctor had gone for long-term training in July 2025, another resigned in October, and the remaining doctor was on medical leave after sustaining a fracture.
“When the child was brought to the hospital, he was reportedly already in a very critical condition (on his last breath). However, a doctor who happened to be present at the time immediately attended to the case, performed intubation, and made arrangements to airlift the patient,” the Health Minister said. Despite the efforts, the child could not be revived.
Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk acknowledged that such staffing gaps are a challenge faced by several health facilities, as new deployments typically take place in January each year. Nevertheless, he assured that Tashicholing has been prioritized for the upcoming recruitment cycle, given its recent upgrade to a 20-bed hospital.
The first batch of recruits, including five nurses, one emergency medical responder, one dental technician, and one pharmacy technician, was deployed to the hospital in mid-September. Additional staff will continue to be added in the coming months to meet the full standard for a 20-bed facility and ensure uninterrupted services in the future.
