ANNUAL HEALTH BULLETIN 2004 - Ministry of Health

History
In the 1990s, radio telephonic linkages were established in order to connect the remote
Basic Health Units (BHUs) and hospitals that are scattered all over the country.
Telemedicine was incepted when Dr. H.Nakajima the then DG of WHO had an
audience with His Majesty the King, Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1997. It was fUlther
strengthened when internet was introduced in the country in June, 1999.
The Telecommunication Development Bureau (BTD) of the International
Telecommunication Union (ITU) in 1999 started a pilot project on Multipurpose
Community Telecenter (MCT) wherein Telemedicine was one of the components. In
conjunction with the MCT project, a teleradiology project was initiated in 1999-2000
by connecting the district hospital at Jakar to the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National
Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) in Thimphu. The X-Ray image and ECG image
transmissions were carried out successfully, thereby, demonstrating the applicability of
the technology.
In November 2000, the two major referral hospitals at Mongar in the east and the JDW
in the west were connected. Consultations in different fields of specialties like
Radiology, Dermatology, Medical, Orthopedics, Surgical, Pediatric, Psychiatry,
Pathology etc. were carried out and monitored monthly based on the consultation
reports. Soon Gelephug district hospital was also connected to the internet and thereby
provided with X-Ray digitizer and digital camera to carry out necessary telemedicine
consul tations.
In March 2003, the East Bhutan Tele-ECG' project was carried out in close
collaboration with the Tokai University of Medical Sciences, Japan through the
Japanese grant for Grassroot Projects (GGP). Necessary trainings were provided with
support of the TeIemedicine Society of Japan (TSJ). The Trashiyangtse and Lhuentse
sites were provided with multipurpose equipment with analyzer software for ECG,
Cardioechogram and Phonocardiogram. The connection bi:l ween these two hospitals
and the referral hospitals is done through the dial-up connection via the local PSTN.
Since there are only one cardiologist in the country, the doctors from these two sites
consulted cases to the APT 2 nd Opinion Center housed in Tokai University, Japan for
correct and prompt diagnosis.
Inorder to monitor and guide the development of the project, a Health Telematics
Taskforce was formed in April 2000 with personnel from the Ministry of Health,
hospitals and WHO country office under the chairmanship of the Director of
Department of Medical Services. It has been further strengthened with members
included from the Ministry of Information and Communication and other relevant staffs
from the Health Ministry.