Gynecology

Department of Obstetrics and gynecology, at The Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck Mother and Child Hospital, is the tertiary care unit, which provides specialized maternal and women health care services. This is the center which manages the nation’s most complex and complicated pregnancies .The department is the referral center from all the complicated High risk maternal cases from various part of the country.

At present the Obstetrics and gynecological services are provided by team of gynecologists consisting of MFM subspecialists, gynecologist, gynecologists and trained nurses.

Our Mission

To provide safe, equitable, and patient-focused anesthesia care through evidence-based practice, multidisciplinary collaboration, and modern technology. We are dedicated to continuous professional development, research, and education, ensuring the training of highly competent anesthesia professionals while contributing to Bhutan’s healthcare goals. Through compassion, respect, and integrity, we strive to deliver exceptional care tailored to the needs of every patient.

Our Vision

To become a leading center of excellence in anesthesia and perioperative medicine within the region by delivering innovative, compassionate, and safe patient care while advancing education, research, and clinical practice.

Our Core Values

Patient-Centered Compassion

We treat every patient with empathy, dignity, and respect, recognizing and responding to their individual physical, emotional, and cultural needs.

Clinical Excellence and Safety

We maintain the highest standards of anesthesia practice through evidence-based medicine, robust safety measures, and continuous quality improvement.

Collaborative Teamwork

We value open communication, mutual respect, and multidisciplinary cooperation to provide seamless perioperative care and support successful surgical outcomes.

Equity and Accessibility

We are committed to ensuring all patients receive timely, inclusive, and equitable anesthesia care regardless of their background or circumstances.

Integrity and Accountability

We uphold ethical principles, transparency, and professionalism while remaining accountable to our patients, colleagues, and the wider community.

Innovation and Lifelong Learning

We encourage innovation, embrace advancements in medical technology, and promote a culture of continuous learning, education, and professional growth.

History of Obstetrics and gynecology in Bhutan

There is scant information available on the introduction of the western medicine in Bhutan. In 1962 when Dr Carl E Taylor visited Bhutan, to do a reconnaissance study about the Bhutanese health system, documented in his report that Dr Karpo was the first Bhutanese doctor already practicing in Bhutan for the army. Second Bhutanese doctor was Late H.E Dr. Tobgyel completing his MBBS in 1954.

In 1956, a 20-bedded traditional style hospital at Thimphu was completed opposite to the present Thimphu Dzong on the other side of the river and another 10 bedded hospital at Samchi was built. The Thimphu General Hospital was opened in 1961 in present JDWNRH area followed by Samtse, Trashigang, and Gelephu district hospitals.

It is even more difficult to get information on first establishment of obstetrical and gynecological service in Bhutan. There is almost no documentary information about first introduction of Obstetrics and Gynecology services in Bhutan.

Late Dr (Mrs) Norbu had joined service in 1969 as medical officer. She later did her training in Obstetrics and Gynecology in the United Kingdom and had done Diploma of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologist (DRCOG) in 1980. Since then she had worked as the first national gynecologist in Bhutan at Thimphu till October 2000. Expatriate gynecologists were there for giving obstetrics and gynecological services in different district hospitals including Thimphu. Subsequently, other national gynecologist has joined from 1998 onwards. The Health School (present Faculty of Nursing and Public Health) was started in 1974 to train HAs, ANs, ANMs and GNMs. HAs, ANs and ANMs brought lot of change in the field level in terms of huge improvement in primary obstetrics and gynecological service in Bhutan.

Late Mrs Norbu

(HOD till Oct 2000)

Dr Duptho Wangmo

(HOD till Oct 2000 – 2005

Dr Ugyen Tshomo

(HOD till Oct 2006 – 2012

Dr Phurb Dorji

(HOD till Oct 2013 – 2017

By 1974 Maternity Unit was established at the old hospital complex providing obstetrics and gynecological service. Till 2005 there were only three delivery beds in a single room for delivery. The delivery room was extended to accommodate 5 delivery beds with curtain partitions and a new baby room and a staff duty room. By 2006, due to increasing workload, the nursing staff in the obstetrics and gynecology unit was split into two independent groups, one for the Maternity Ward and the other for the Delivery Unit (Birthing Center) with creation of separate Unit In-charges. The Department of Obs& Gyne has moved from the old Maternity Building to the present Hospital in Nov 2009.

With the creation of Department of Community Health in 2010, the Maternal Child Health (MCH) Unit under the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology was taken over by separate management. Table below shows services started in Obstetrics and Gynecology.

This is a modern 150- bed facility which is completely dedicated to women and pediatrics care. This hospital was jointly inaugurated by H.E.Shri Narendra Modi, Prime Minister of India and H.E. Dasho Tshering Tobgay ,Prime Minster of Bhutan on March 23, 2024.

This Hospital provide comprehensive advanced maternal, child, and neonatal health care.

This hospital have 3 units, Obstetrics and Gynecology , Paediatrics with three modular Operation theatre units.

Obstetrics and gynecology Services

The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology provides the following services through the keys specialized units:

Pre-anesthesia assessment and patient optimization

Intraoperative anesthesia management

Postoperative recovery and pain management

Sedation services for procedures performed outside the operating room

Labor analgesia for pain relief during childbirth

Acute pain management

Chronic pain management services

Intensive care and critical care medicine services

Anesthesia Residency Program

Conducted in collaboration with the Postgraduate Medical Education Program under Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan.

Anesthesia Technician Training

A diploma program conducted in partnership with the Faculty of Nursing and Public Health to develop skilled anesthesia technicians for the national healthcare system.

Vision

Deliver state-of-the-art anesthesia services in perioperative care, pain and palliative care, and critical care.
Achieve self-sufficiency in anesthesia service providers within the country.
Develop and train anesthesia service providers through residency programs and BSc Nurse Anesthesia training.

Mission

Provide state-of-the-art patient care in preoperative evaluation, intra-operative anesthesia, post-operative care, Intensive Care Unit, and pain management.
Offer high-quality education for postgraduate residency in Anesthesia and BSc Nurse Anesthesia under the postgraduate medical education center of JDWNRH.
Contribute to the science of Anesthesiology through basic and clinical science programs and advance clinical practice.

Our Values

To fulfill our mission and vision, we focus on the following pillars of our specialty:

Healing: Deliver the highest quality of perioperative clinical care in ORs, ICUs, and clinics.
Teaching: Develop anesthesia service providers through residency training, BSc Nurse Anesthesia, and anesthesia assistant training, dedicating ourselves to excellence in education.
Caring: Foster an environment valuing professionalism, compassion, collegiality, teamwork, and collaboration while emphasizing patient safety and continuous performance improvement.

Areas of Services Provided by Anesthesia Department

Anesthesia Services
Intensive Care Unit
Pain & Palliative Care (Pain Clinic on Fridays)
Sedation Services to CT/MRI, Psychiatry, endoscopies
ACLs and BLS in other unit

Organogram

Anaesthesia Services Overview (2017)

In early 2017, we addressed the acute shortage of anesthesia service providers by recruiting two Burmese anesthetists and welcoming Dr. Garry from the USA to volunteer in the ICU.