The Bhutanese Leading the way.
Health
Thimphu, along with other dzongkhags, saw a steady decline in the number of COVID-19 cases in 2022, and the restrictions were then relaxed and lifted phase-wise, especially in the southern region of the country. The year also saw a single case of a new Omicron XJ variant detected at a facility quarantine in the country.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) has achieved an overall 79.6 percent of vaccine coverage of all ages in the country, and almost 99 percent of the children with the first dose of COVID-19 vaccines. 81.8 percent of children aged between 12-17 years old were vaccinated with the first and second doses, and 84.4 percent vaccine coverage above 18 years old. The fourth booster dose was provided to all the vulnerable groups of the population in 2022.
More than 1,500 children under five years of age were infected with COVID-19 and MoH plans to vaccinate the selected groups of Under-Five Children with comorbidities.
MoH also introduced the Reverse Isolation Facilities in 20 dzongkhags with dedicated health professionals and personal caregivers for the vulnerable groups of population in the country.
The PEMA center, an agency to spearhead the national response to mental health, has been established. The PEMA is the apex body in the country which will provide all the mental health services across the country including rehabilitation, helpline services and many more
The Royal Government of Bhutan has been monitoring Monkeypox, detected in non-endemic countries. However, no cases of the viral disease have been detected in the country so far.
Of all the COVID-19 deaths in the country, the death of a 34-year-old patient, Sostika Gurung, who died in an isolation hotel in Thimphu early this year is still under investigation.
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) is facing a shortage of nurses, as many of the nurses are either resigning or on Extra-Ordinary Leave (EOL) including doctors and specialists leaving for further studies.
Education
Schools across Bhutan reopened for contact teaching including Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) centers despite the COVID-19 cases in the country in 2022, but private schools were shut down or on the verge of shutting down.
The Ministry of Education (MoE) absorbed all the class X pass students in the government schools, causing the private high school sector to shrink dramatically starting 2022, which led to many public schools being congested.
With this, around 600 teachers and support staff in the private schools and many were laid off depending on the situation.
The students of Samtse and Sarpang contracted the virus during their board exam this year. 119 students were relocated from Gomtu to Dorokha for examination.
The lack of ECCD facilitators in the government ECCD has been an issue across the nation. However, 31 new facilitators will be recruited for the next 2023 academic year, with 36 non-formal education teachers being trained to facilitate the ECCDs as well. Another 55 teachers have also been permitted by RCSC to be recruited.
Not just because of the shortage of ECCD facilitators, the increasing number of school teachers are either resigning from work or taking EOL and then resigning, leaving abroad for further studies or accompanying their spouses in Australia. Therefore, 205 contract teachers and regular contract teachers’ contract period were extended.
MoE and UNICEF inaugurated the first model-inclusive ECCD center in Changangkha Middle Secondary School this year.
Also, MoE in partnership with the Bhutan Narcotics Control Agency started the testing staff and students on the use of controlled drugs and substances in 12 identified schools in 2022.
