Happy New Year 2011

I would like to wish each and everyone a very Happy and prosperous New year. May all your dreams come true and you and your loved ones enjoy a peaceful and productive new year.

Telemedicine Workshop

We had a one day Tele-medicine workshop for the Hospitals in the east which have been supplied with some basic equipment recently. All the District hospitals were represented  with a participant each with the exception of Dewathang and Riserboo Hospitals.

The workshop covered on the overall Telemedicine coverage in the country and provided hands on training for the participants on the web based consultation that is to be followed .

Mongar Hospital will now serve as the expert end for the Telematic centres in the east instead of JDW as practiced earlier. A digital camera will be procured for each of the centers  by the Program.

I have been identified as the Focal Point for Telemedicine in the east and we will collectively  try to see how we can make a difference with the use of ICT in our patient care.I am absolutely  optimistic in this path!

Pediatric OPD Closed:JDW

Kuensel reported that the pediatric OPD was closed on 24 and 25 December due to shortage of a Pediatrician. It is understandable and I can agree with the explanation given by the Hospital Director.Obviously, there is a big shortage of Pediatricians in the country with just 5 national pediatricians in the whole country including myself at Mongar hospital and one at Military hospital, Luntenphu.

Of course, closing the OPD was just not the right thing to do. JDW has plenty of GDMOs and they could have mobilised some of them for few days. Even experienced ACOs can handle the OPDs to a great extent!

Hopefully, the scenario will improve by mid next year as two more national pediatricians and a Burmese pediatrician are expected to join us.

What about the specialists?

http://www.kuenselonline.com/2010/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=17770



So far nurses with degree were equated with specialist doctors and now even the diploma and certificate holders may soon be equated to specialist doctors....all in P3...hmm good news for the nurses!

National Order of Merit: Congratulations to the health officials who are the recipients.

It is a moment of pride for the health family as three of our colleagues have been awarded the National Award of Merit , by His Majesty , The King , on December 17th . They are:

1. Dr Mohanta, Pathologist, serving in the country for more than 30 years.
2. Kesang Jigme, Laboratory Technician, known for blood donations( more than 40 times)
3. Dupchu ,BHW of Narang BHU under Mongar Dzongkhag( played a crucial role when the fateful quake hit the eastern part of Bhutan, Narang  being the most badly affected)

Dr Mohanta was awarded the National Order of Merit (Silver) and the other two received Bronze.

Lalpatti effect!

You drive through the doctors quarters or walk up the steps  to the hospital from the residential complex, you will pass through these ovely flowers beautifying your way.....enjoy

And thanks to our present MS who is fond of flowers, plants and trees to beautify the hospital surrounding!

By the way , I dont know the name in English!

Hospital Gate construction underway.

Construction of a new concrete gate at  the hospital entrance is in full swing at the moment. It is expected to be complete in a months time from now. 

Meanwhile parking facilities have been disturbed by the construction temporarily.

Once complete, this will surely add on the asthetic

beauty of the hospital.

Telemedicine Workshop

A three day workshop on Rural Telemedicine and SAARC Telemedicine project is re-scheduled from 27-29 December at MRRH for the eastern region. Aprroximately 20 participants are expected including the Director General of Health.

A ToT to the same effect was conducted recently at Thimphu which was attended by our IT friend , Omapati, who will be one of the resource persons. I am looking forward to participate as well.

Snakes: They scare me!

For the first time in two years,we are managing a case of snake bite in the Pediatric age group. A 6 year old with a venomous snake bite was referred from Pemagatshel Hospital yesterday. Unfortunately no anti-venom was available there( reflects the dismal state of our essential drug supply at the moment throughout the country). The nearest hospital they could send the patient was to Trashigang where both anti-venom and a doctor on station, were available. Obviously there was a delay in the administration of anti-venom which is vital.

At the moment, the child is in the Pediatric ward with features of severe local envenomation and some systemic as well( deranged clotting). Ten vials of AVS have been given at Trashigang Hospital and hopefully he will not need further doses.There is apprehension that the limb might get affected by compartmental syndrome!Obviously there is no data available on the type of snakes prevalent in Bhutan.

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/168828-treatment

Plight of the Junior Specialists.

Many Junior specialist are forced to work on the grade and salary of a GDMO or a nurse. While most specialists are given specialists cadre, some of the Junior specialists have been seriously affected by the position classification.  The ministry recently turned down applications for fast tract promotion submitted by some of us saying that no promotion is due before 4 years. At this pace, my personal concern is that we will reach our retirement age by the time we enter specialist cadre, but having worked all throughout as a specialists!

And this is unfair!