Healthcare services in six eastern districts of Bhutan are set to improve with the deployment of medical equipment worth nearly Nu 300 million (about USD 3.15 million) provided by the Government of Japan.
More than 30 types of equipment, including digital X-ray and ultrasound machines, infant incubators and other medical devices, have been supplied under a four-year healthcare strengthening project implemented by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in partnership with Bhutan’s Ministry of Health.The equipment has been deployed to district hospitals in Lhuentse, Trashigang, Trashi Yangtse, Pema Gatshel and Samdrup Jongkhar, as well as Mongar Eastern Regional Referral Hospital.
Health authorities said the equipment will enhance diagnostic and treatment facilities and enable more patients to receive essential care closer to home. Trained personnel are already available in most districts, while additional staff will be recruited where necessary.The initiative comes as Bhutan and Japan mark 40 years of diplomatic relations, established in March 1986, and highlights the longstanding cooperation between the two countries in the healthcare sector.