Health and Development:

LECTURER: DECHEN TSHOMO

 Bhutan has achieved remarkable health development since the advent of
modern health care from the early 1960/61
 Bhutan has sustained primary health care services coverage at 90 %
 Consequently, Life expectancy rose from 36.1 years in 1950s to 71.46 years in
2018(PHCB)
 Infant mortality rates dropped from 60.5 per 1000 live births in year 2000 to
15.1 per 1000 (PHCB-17)
 Infant mortality rates dropped from 60.5 per 1000 live births in year 2000 to
23.8 deaths per 1000 live births in 2019(PHCB-17)
 Bhutan declared Universal Childhood (UCI) Immunization in 1991 and has
sustained immunization coverage of above 90 % (EPI).
 Access to safe drinking water has improved drastically over the years and
achieved 98% (PHCB)
 Access to safe excreta disposal is achieved at 85.1% (PHCB).
 Bhutan achieved all the millennium Development Goals (MDG) as per the
time frame and moving towards Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
 Despite of its rugged terrain and limited resources, these achievements in
health indicators made Bhutan a model and a pioneer for promotion of
primary health care
Health care system and political
commitment for health:
 These achievements in the overall health has been brought about primarily
by the far-sighted leadership of our monarch
 Focus on primary health care approach
 Integrated well functioning of traditional and modern health system
 Socio-economic growth, increase in literacy rate in pursuit of balanced
development path guided by the GNH philosophy
 The Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) continues to accord
high priority to the provision of equitable and quality, universal
access to free health care services including referral of patients
abroad for life saving treatments beyond the clinical capacity
and facilities available in Bhutan.
Bhutan’s National health delivery
system
 Bhutan became a signatory to Alma-Ata declaration of 1978
affirming the need to protect and promote the health of all the
people.

 Since than, Bhutan adopted Primary Health Care as a overall

health care delivery system model
 Bhutan shall continue to pursue the comprehensive approach of
Primary Health Care,
 provide universal access with emphasis on disease prevention,
health promotion,
 community participation and intersectoral collaboration
 Quality health care services shall be provided through,
integrated modern and traditional health care system that
responds equitably, appropriately and efficiently to the needs of
all Bhutanese citizens.
 Primary health care provides not only curative services but
whole range of disease prevention, health promotion and health
protection services within the available resources, made
accessible by all people
Alma-Ata Declaration of 1978