Tshering Namgyal | Mongar
The upgradation of Nagor Primary Health Centre (PHC) to a 10-bed hospital in Silambi gewog is expected to benefit two remotest gewogs in Mongar—Silambi and Gongdue.
The laying of the foundation and procurement of materials have begun following the awarding of work in June this year. Once complete, the hospital is expected to benefit 2,500 households in the gewogs. The hospital will also render services to civil servants and monks in the drungkhag.
In the absence of a good health service centre in the locality, critical patients from the two gewogs currently are referred to the Gyalpoizhing hospital or Mongar regional referral hospital (MERRH), which takes about up to hours. According to health officials, 90 percent of the patients that are referred to the hospitals needed consultation with General Duty Medical Officers (GDMs) and X-ray, laboratory and ultrasonography and dental services.
Sonam from Nagor village said that hiring a bolero from the village to Mongar would cost about Nu 7,000. He said that some patients could not go to the hospital and were deprived of medical services due to the high transportation costs. “If the service is at the doorstep, more people will avail of the health services,” he said.
Health officials said the new hospital would benefit pregnant women among other patients.
Officials from Silambi gewog said the people of Dali village under Bjoka gewog in Zhemgang also come for health services at Nagor health centre in summer and that the new hospital would benefit them. Health officials visit the centre on a quarterly basis to provide services to people in the locality.
“Many diseases can be prevented with timely health screening programmes and health officials from other hospitals need not visit the centre once it is upgraded,” a doctor said.
The construction has been awarded to M/s. Sonam Jamtsho and Bros’ Construction Pvt. LTD at the cost of Nu 34.91 million to be completed in 20 months.
