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Otorhinolaryngology

The ENT Department in Thimphu functions as the national center for ear, nose, and throat services, providing comprehensive outpatient, inpatient, and surgical care, as well as audiology and speech-language rehabilitation services. In addition to Thimphu, ENT specialists and related services are available at the Gelephu Central Regional Referral Hospital and the Monggar Eastern Regional Referral Hospital. While Phuntsholing Hospital is staffed with an ENT surgeon, it currently lacks audiology and speech-language pathology services. ENT services have been further decentralized to cluster and district hospitals, where trained ENT technicians manage basic outpatient care and emergency cases. These technicians work closely with medical officers and ENT surgeons in their respective regions to ensure proper treatment and referral of patients to higher-level centers when necessary

Our Mission

To provide high-quality, evidence-based ENT care that is patient-centered, affordable, and equitable across Bhutan.

To promote early detection, prevention, and effective management of ENT disorders through community outreach and education.

To continuously improve service delivery through professional development, research, and adoption of modern technologies.

To foster collaboration with national and international partners in enhancing ENT services and building local capacity.

To support the wellbeing of patients and their families by integrating cultural sensitivity and holistic care approaches in every aspect of treatment.

Our Vision

To be a center of excellence in Ear, Nose, and Throat healthcare in Bhutan, delivering compassionate, innovative, and accessible services that enhance the quality of life for all Bhutanese, while upholding the nation’s values of equity, sustainability, and Gross National Happiness.

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 Anesthesia Services in Bhutan

Anesthesia services in Bhutan began in the late 1970s and early 1980s at Thimphu General Hospital under Dr. G.C. Sharma from Assam, who transferred to Trashigang Hospital in 1983, leaving Dr. Sarkar to continue the service until UN Volunteer anesthetist Dr. Phone Kyaw took over in 1984. A major milestone occurred in 1983 when Dr. Yanki Shipmo joined Thimphu General Hospital and founded Bhutan’s first Nurse Anesthetist Training Program to address severe staff shortages. In February 1988, Mr. Singye and Mr. Lungten Jamtsho became the first Bhutanese nurses selected for this specialized track; after six months of rigorous training, they provided autonomous anesthesia services at Gelephu General Hospital and Tsimalakha Hospital, laying the groundwork for a system that now includes over 30 nurse anesthetists nationwide.

In early 1998, Bhutan’s first nationally qualified anesthesiologist returned to work at JDWNRH, served at the Military Hospital in Dewathang during security difficulties, and officially entered civil service in January 1999. Later that year, Dr. Singay Dorji became the first Head of the Department of Anesthesiology, where he upgraded clinical services, drugs, and equipment, and established JDWNRH’s first three-bed intensive care unit (ICU). 

Dr. Gosar Pemba succeeded him as department head from 2009 to 2014, modernizing services and helping establish Bhutan’s anesthesia residency training program before becoming JDWNRH’s Medical Superintendent, at which point Dr. Jampel Tshering took over leadership. Ultimately, Bhutan’s anesthesia services have evolved from simple open-drop ether methods into a modern system featuring advanced anesthesia workstations, sophisticated monitoring, advanced critical care, labor analgesia, comprehensive pain management clinics, and ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia.

Otorhinolaryngology Services

Our department provides a comprehensive range of Otorhinolaryngology services, including:

Pre-anesthesia assessment and patient optimization

Intraoperative anesthesia management

Postoperative recovery and pain management

Sedation services for procedures performed outside the operating room

Pre-anesthesia assessment and patient optimization

Intraoperative anesthesia management

Postoperative recovery and pain management

Sedation services for procedures performed outside the operating room

Pre-anesthesia assessment and patient optimization

Intraoperative anesthesia management

Postoperative recovery and pain management

Sedation services for procedures performed outside the operating room

Pre-anesthesia assessment and patient optimization

Intraoperative anesthesia management

Postoperative recovery and pain management

Sedation services for procedures performed outside the operating room

Pre-anesthesia assessment and patient optimization

Intraoperative anesthesia management

Postoperative recovery and pain management

Sedation services for procedures performed outside the operating room

Pre-anesthesia assessment and patient optimization

Intraoperative anesthesia management

Postoperative recovery and pain management

Sedation services for procedures performed outside the operating room

Pre-anesthesia assessment and patient optimization

Intraoperative anesthesia management

Postoperative recovery and pain management

Sedation services for procedures performed outside the operating room

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

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

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

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