Sustainable Development – Page 10

Semtokha Dzong: History Lives On

FIRST BUILT TO LAST – Semtokha Dzong, restored and consecrated

If walls could speak the Semtokha Dzong would tell fascinating stories of the days when the Bhutanese polity was established, when fact and mythology merged to form Bhutanese history.

On October 14, His Majesty the King, His Majesty the fourth Druk Gyalpo, the royal family, Bhutanese and international dignitaries, and the people of Thimphu, attended a simple and profoundly spiritual ceremony to consecrate the restored dzong.

The ceremony was conducted by His Holiness the Je Khenpo, invoking the blessings and essence of the wisdom of dragmar, dedicated to the wrathful form of Guru Lohita Rudra. Continue reading Semtokha Dzong: History Lives On

Lifestyle Diseases Double Risk of Kidney Failure

The number of patients on dialysis has more than quadrupled over the last decade

Diabetes and hypertension will become two of the major causes of kidney failure in Bhutan within the next ten years, say doctors. In developing countries like Bhutan today, infection however is still the major cause of kidney damage. But the rise of non-communicable diseases like diabetes and hypertension has doubled the risk.

“If hypertension and diabetes are not tackled, they’ll lead to kidney failure,” said medical specialist and dialysis physician at the Thimphu referral hospital, Dr Tashi Wangdi. He said that about 60 percent of diabetics are likely to suffer from kidney failure.

When the dialysis unit opened in Thimphu in 1998, there were only eight patients. Today, there are about 36 patients on dialysis. Dialysis is a process, which filters the blood of its toxic waste. Continue reading Lifestyle Diseases Double Risk of Kidney Failure

Community Forest – Sowing the seeds of GNH

100th Community Forest handed over to Limbu people as part of centenary celebrations

9 October, 2008 – The social forestry division under the agriculture ministry handed over the 100th community forest on October 6 as part of the celebrations of 100 years of Monarchy in Bhutan.

The 100th community forest, Woongbab community forest, was handed over in Thimphu to the management group of Limbu gewog, Punakha.

Agriculture minister, Lyonpo Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, said that giving an opportunity for local communities to participate in decision making and management of resources was the only policy that promotes all four pillars of Gross National Happiness. Continue reading Community Forest – Sowing the seeds of GNH

Effective Delivery of Kidu to the People

Her Royal Highness Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck

In the course of His Majesty King Khesar’s many tours around the country, His Majesty has granted kidu to the most vulnerable sections of society including, among many others, the disabled, aged, destitute and also students needing financial aid to attend school. In order to ensure the effective delivery of such kidu to the beneficiaries, His Majesty has instructed Their Royal Highnesses the Princesses to constantly travel and work in various dzongkhags. While Ashi Sonam Dechan Wangchuck is based in Thimphu, Ashi Dechen Yangzom Wangchuck lives in Mongar and Ashi Kesang Choden Wangchuck in Bumthang.

Their Royal Highnesses live with the people in order to evaluate and monitor welfare kidu programmes for destitute individuals and students, both from the perspective of improving the well being of the recipient as well as the system as a whole. Their Highnesses undertake regular visits to remote villages in all gewogs in the dzongkhags in order to interact with the youth and rural communities on behalf of His Majesty. Continue reading Effective Delivery of Kidu to the People

Wake Up! PM Tells the World

Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, just six kilometers away from the collapsing stock markets of Wall Street, Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley called the world leaders to break away from the shackles of the powerful market forces.

“Economic wellbeing is not human wellbeing,” he told the Assembly on Friday, as heads of nations listened to a voice asking the world to cooperate and not compete.

Standing behind a marble podium bearing the UN logo as the first democratically elected prime minister of Bhutan, the small Bhutan flag pin shone in contrast to the simple black gho he wore.

“We need to wake up from our narcissistic slumber and self-indulgence,” he told the 63rd session of the Assembly. Continue reading Wake Up! PM Tells the World

Operation Sight Restoration

GLAD TO SEE YOU AGAIN – Thimphu eye team brings light to the Layap vision-challenged

30 September, 2008 – For eight years Kinley Om lived in the dark, deprived of her vision and unaware of the dramatic changes taking place around her.

She is 73 years old and lives in Laya. At an altitude of about 4000 metres above sea level, Laya is one of the coldest places on earth. It is a five-day walk from the nearest road.

Laya embodies the mammoth task Bhutan faces in taking services to remote areas. That difficulty is symbolised in the form of Kinley Om, who has been blind for eight years and, given the distance and her age, had given up hope of ever seeing again. She had though prayed to god. Continue reading Operation Sight Restoration

MDGs – Bhutan’s progress report is good but…

…there is an urgency to secure long term sustainable financing arrangements and capacity building

Baby blues – Inadequate levels of skilled birth attendance affect maternal mortality

29 September, 2008 – Bhutan has made significant and sustained progress in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and is potentially on track to achieve them all. As world leaders gathered for a high level event on MDG at the UN Summit in New York, a technical report prepared by UN agencies in Bhutan and the government stated that several targets had been realised in the country’s commitment to achieving the MDGs by 2015.

“Bhutan’s progress in reducing poverty from 36.3 percent in 2000 to 23.2 percent in 2007 keeps it well on track to achieve the MDG,” stated the report. This has been matched by reductions in human poverty, as measured by the HPI-1 index, which declined by 19 percent over the same period, largely on account on improvements in enhancing access to improved drinking water sources and reducing child malnutrition. Continue reading MDGs – Bhutan’s progress report is good but…