Better care of elderly taken to doorsteps

… Blood tests are the most commonly prescribed among follow-up tests

Staff Reporter

Upon the Royal Command, the Kidu Mobile Medical Unit (KMMU) as a part of pilot project will collect blood samples of elderlies above 70 years at their place of residence in Thimphu starting August 1.

To take the healthcare services to the homes of the elderly citizens in the capital city, Kidu Mobile Medical Unit (KMMU) is partnering with Ministry of Health’s Elderly Care Programme and the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) for this pilot project.

Through this project, the elderly citizens will not have to visit the hospital week in, week out. Blood tests are the most commonly prescribed among follow-up tests, and often require patients to visit the hospital multiple times.

Implementing this pilot project, patients required to do blood tests by a consulting physician have the option of registering with the JDWNRH Lab focal for the at-home collection of samples. Individuals can register over the phone by calling 17363418.

For blood collection, the team will visit homes from 6am to 9am.

This pilot project will be evaluated for replication in other parts of the country with larger populations, where hospitals may be encumbered by long waiting times and especially difficult for the elderly.