𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐠𝐠𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐠𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐠, 𝐂𝐡𝐮𝐤𝐡𝐚

…𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒖𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒐𝒏, 𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒍𝒐𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒇 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒙𝒊 𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒊𝒄𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒂𝒗𝒂𝒊𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒕𝒉𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒃𝒚

By Kezang Choden

Loggchina Gewog, under Chukha Dzongkhag, is struggling with a shortage of healthcare staff in the only Basic Health Unit (BHU) in the gewog, leaving its residents to contend with inadequate medical services.

The situation has reached a critical point, as emphasized by the Gup of Loggchina Gewog, who highlighted the pivotal role of the Basic Health Unit (BHU) Grade 2 established near the Gewog office in 2000. The BHU, catering to the healthcare needs of three chiwogs- Amalag-Dofam Chiwog, Jedokha Chiwog, and Dolepchen Chiwog- is currently beset by a scarcity of essential health personnel. This dearth has cast a dark shadow over the community’s access to vital medical attention. Residents, such as Gyeltshen from Lotokha village, lament the arduous journey of approximately thirty minutes to reach the health center, only to find themselves deprived of crucial services upon arrival.

The predicament escalates during the summer season, exacerbating the financial strain on locals who must resort to expensive taxi services due to the unavailability of adequate healthcare facilities nearby. This glaring deficiency in staffing translates into prolonged waiting periods for patients, breeding discontent among the populace.
Chenga, a housewife recently diagnosed with a heart condition, exemplifies the harrowing ordeal faced by many, as she hurdles with the burdensome routine of traveling to Phuntsholing Hospital for essential medications, while also yearning for supplementary medical services closer to home.

Sonam Tshering, a health assistant at the beleaguered BHU, shed light on the grim reality confronting healthcare providers. He said, ‘The Herculean task of maintaining patient records amidst the relentless onslaught of medical cases. The shortage of staff impedes the delivery of optimal services, leaving healthcare workers grappling with the moral dilemma of prioritizing urgent cases over routine care.’ Moreover, he said that despite their best efforts, Sonam Tshering and his colleagues find themselves constrained by resource constraints, unable to extend exemplary healthcare services to the populace.

Amidst these challenges, healthcare professionals are compelled to seize every available opportunity to disseminate vital health awareness during Gewog meetings. However, the efficacy of such initiatives is hampered by the overarching staffing crisis, which compromises their ability to address emergency situations effectively. The plight of Loggchina Gewog serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for concerted efforts to bolster healthcare infrastructure and alleviate the suffering of its inhabitants.

In response to this burgeoning crisis, calls for immediate action resonate across the community, urging authorities to prioritize the allocation of resources towards augmenting healthcare staffing levels. The palpable anguish and frustration of Loggchina’s residents spoke out the gravity of the situation, compelling stakeholders to confront the systemic deficiencies plaguing the region’s healthcare system.

As Loggchina Gewog struggles with the implications of its healthcare crisis, the imperative for swift and decisive intervention cannot be overstated. The lives and well-being of its inhabitants hang precariously in the balance, highlighting the pressing need for sustained investment and concerted efforts to ameliorate the ailing healthcare infrastructure. Only through collaborative endeavors and unwavering commitment can the specter of inadequate healthcare be dispelled, paving the way for a healthier and more resilient future for all.

The unfolding healthcare crisis in Loggchina Gewog emphasizes the urgent need for systemic reforms to address the glaring deficiencies in healthcare staffing and infrastructure. As the community’s cries for assistance reverberate, stakeholders must heed the call for action, lest the health and well-being of its inhabitants continue to hang in the balance.