ACCESS Health partners with KGUMSB to strengthen NCD Management in Bhutan

ACCESS Health International has initiated a program in collaboration with the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB), focusing on capacity building for the prevention and management of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This initiative is supported by Sanofi’s Global Health Unit. The project will support in strengthening ongoing initiatives in the healthcare systems of Bhutan, specifically targeting NCDs. Our goal is to enhance the skills and knowledge of the Bhutanese healthcare professionals required to implement effective NCD management programs in Bhutan.

As a part of this project, ACCESS Health organized a priority-setting meeting with the KGUMSB officials from March 4^th 2024 to March 10^th, 2024. Two officials from KGUMSB, Dr. Rixin Jamtsho, Director, MECRIT and Dr. Dago Tshering, Dy. Chief Program Officer, CPD program visited the ACCESS Health International office in Hyderabad for collaborative discussions, beginning with an interaction on March 4th in Hyderabad. Dr. Laigden Dzed, MoH representative from Bhutan also joined the discussion remotely. The officials interacted with the ACCESS Health team under the leadership of Dr, N. Krishna Reddy, CEO, ACCESS Health and Mr. Girish Bommakanti, Director of Operations & Strategic Growth and discussed on mutual areas of collaboration.

Bhutan officials visited India’s top-ranked medical institutions (CMC Vellore, St. John’s Medical College in Bangalore, and AIIMS Delhi) and were accompanied by Dr. Shrikant Kalaskar, Technical Head – of Public Health from ACCESS Health as part of the visit. These visits provided them with deeper insights into some of the best models in medical education and continued professional development.

As a second activity, a symposium on “Reimagining Non-Communicable Diseases Care in Bhutan” was conducted on April 11^th, 2024 as part of the 8^th ‘International Conference in Medical and Health Sciences (ICMH)’ with Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB) and was supported by the Sanofi’s Global Health Unit. The symposium was inaugurated by the guest of honor, Honorable Health Minister of Bhutan, Mr. Lyonpo Tandin Wangchuk and Dr. Kinzang P. Tshering, Hon. President (KGUMSB), Dr Bhupinder Kaur Aulakh, WHO Representative to Bhutan, Dr. N. Krishna Reddy, CEO, ACCESS Health International and Dr. Vijeta Tiwari, Access Lead from Sanofi’s Global Health Unit and representative from the Traditional Medicine Department of Bhutan.

This one-day event witnessed three enlightening panel discussions, focusing predominantly on Understanding the NCD Landscape with a special emphasis on Hypertension and Diabetes: Bhutan’s Twin Challenge. The second and third session was dedicated to discussing epidemiological trends, screening, and innovative approaches for NCD management, and ultimately offered a great learning experience to the attendees.

Collectively, we aim to shape a healthier future as we work hand in hand to empower healthcare professionals, strengthen health systems, and pave the way where NCDs are no longer a barrier to well-being.