𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐅𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐨 𝐆𝐚𝐬𝐚 𝐃𝐳𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐤𝐡𝐚𝐠

…𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒇𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒇𝒇 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒐𝒄𝒖𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒆 𝒅𝒛𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒌𝒉𝒂𝒈 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔

By Leki Chungdon

Gasa Dzongkhag officially took over the management of health facilities from Gasa Hospital Administration today at the Dzongkhag Conference Hall. During the ceremony, the 10-bedded Gasa Hospital, along with primary health centres, was formally handed over to the Dzongkhag Administration, marking a key step in improving healthcare management in the district.

The event was attended by Dasho Dzongdag, the Officiating Chief Medical Officer of Gasa Hospital, the Dzongkhag Public Health Officer, gewog representatives, members of the Hospital Management Committee, and heads of various sectors from the Dzongkhag Administration. Dasho Dzongdag expressed appreciation for the continued cooperation between the hospital and the Dzongkhag Administration and urged all stakeholders to work collaboratively to ensure uninterrupted and quality healthcare services for the people of Gasa.

Jigme Namgyel, the Dzongdag of Gasa, clarified that the recent handover does not mean the Dzongkhag Administration is taking over clinical decision making. He said the day-to-day delivery of medical services will continue to be managed by the Chief Medical Officer. Clear lines of responsibility have already been established between the District Health Officer and the CMO to ensure smooth coordination.

According to the Dzongdag, one immediate advantage of the handover is that many administrative duties previously handled by the CMO will now be managed by the District Health Officer and the Dzongkhag Administration. This shift will allow the CMO and clinical staff to devote more time to patient care.

He said support functions such as infrastructure development, maintenance, planning, and budgeting will now be overseen by the Dzongkhag Health Sector. Other essential services, including human resources, procurement, and engineering assistance, will operate more efficiently under the Dzongkhag Administration. He added that the dzongkhag intends to prioritise health services because of their importance to communities in remote areas. Although clinical services will remain under the CMO, the dzongkhag will provide full logistical support using its available resources. With the handover, the hospital management team becomes larger and better connected, enabling stronger collaboration with other agencies, particularly the Ministry of Health.

The Dzongdag also noted that because the dzongkhag regularly interacts with the public, it can help clarify misunderstandings and communicate accurately about available services. With a direct link between the hospital and the Dzongkhag Health Sector, he said the two can now operate as a unified system, which will help ensure uninterrupted healthcare delivery. Any challenges that arise can be jointly addressed and, when necessary, resolved in coordination with other relevant government agencies.

Dawa Gyeltshen, the District Health Officer of Gasa, said the handover will strengthen local decision making and allow programmes to be shaped more closely around the needs and realities of the community. He explained that the new arrangement will also improve coordination with gewogs, schools, monastic institutions, and local leaders, creating a more responsive and accountable health system at the district level.

According to him, several initiatives are expected to take shape under Dzongkhag management. These include expanding outreach and mobile clinic services to reach households in remote settlements, enabling quicker action on minor procurement and repair works at health facilities, and increasing health education programmes through both dzongkhag and gewog platforms. He said these efforts will help reduce delays and ensure a more consistent supply of essential items at health centres.

The DHO added that the dzongkhag will strengthen monitoring of service delivery and patient care. This will involve routine monthly reporting from the hospital and primary health centres, as well as regular supervisory visits using standard checklists to ensure the quality of services. Tracking key performance indicators at each facility will help identify gaps and guide improvements. He said the handover will also enhance coordination between the Dzongkhag Administration, the hospital management team, and the PHC in-charges. This closer working relationship is expected to improve efficiency, support timely decision making, and contribute to stronger, more reliable healthcare services across the district.

Karma Tshewang, the Hospital Quality Assurance Focal, said the staff never felt that the hospital operated entirely separately from the Dzongkhag Administration. He explained that because the Officiating CMO was new to the post, the hospital frequently sought support from the dzongkhag whenever needed.

“This gave the team valuable experience in managing many administrative tasks on their own, despite the challenges that come with understanding ground realities and the struggles faced at the grassroots level,” he said. He noted that before the formal handing and taking over, the hospital completed several key activities. These included the recruitment of new staff, maintenance work, re-electrification, and improvements to the water supply system. Much of this was carried out with support from the relevant dzongkhag sector heads to ensure that the hospital would continue to run smoothly under the new arrangement. He added that a few remaining activities are still in progress.

To maintain strong coordination between the dzongkhag administration and the hospital, the teams hold two coordination meetings each year. These meetings provide a platform to discuss planning, challenges, and expectations, as well as to reinforce codes of conduct and shared responsibilities. Karma Tshewang acknowledged that the transition period brought some difficulties, particularly in processing release orders and claiming travel allowances, as staff were initially unsure where to seek authorization. However, he said these issues were relatively minor compared to what larger districts face.

He added, “For patients, the handover is a significant improvement, as it allows medical personnel to concentrate more fully on clinical care rather than administrative work. For staff, however, I have some concern about how performance evaluations will be managed under the dzongkhag system. Since their workplace conditions differ from those in other offices, I hope the administration will ensure fairness and accuracy in the IWP ratings moving forward.”