In a nation deeply rooted in compassion and kindness, communities often come together to raise funds for individuals and families requiring urgent needs, especially for medical expenses abroad. But what happens when the needed medical interventions fail, and the funds raised are not fully utilised, particularly for referral cases? To address these concerns, the Department of Law and Order (DLO) has been regulating donation initiatives nationwide to prevent fund misuse and ensure the integrity of such practices.
With numerous donation drives organised mainly through social media platforms such as Facebook, WeChat, Instagram, and WhatsApp, concerns have been raised about what happens if the funds raised cannot be used for their intended purpose.
In response, the Department of Law and Order clarified that public donation drives are only permitted after receiving departmental approval, with a designated account number assigned for transparency.
The department also imposes a funding cap based on the identified need, and once the target is met, the account is closed.
Meanwhile, if the individual for whom the funds were raised dies, the remaining amount is transferred to the department’s account for future use.
“Well, in such unfortunate cases where the person who sought donations through the Department of Law and Order ultimately dies while undergoing treatment in the hospital, we provide about Nu 400,000 to the bereaved family for funeral rites and rituals. And the remaining amount is used to support other patients who are unable to raise the required funds,” said Karma Dorji, chief of the Department of Law and Order.
He added that people should refrain from contributing to donation drives unless there is proof of an official approval letter with a specified account number.
Moreover, if donation drives are conducted without the department’s approval, an investigation is carried out to verify whether the cause or purpose of the donation is genuine and is monitored accordingly.
“The reason why we are regulating this donation is basically to uphold transparency and accountability in the use of public funds that have been raised from the people who have willingly, compassionately donated. And the very important reason, above all, is to sustain the compassionate practice of the people helping each other during times of need,” added the chief of the Department of Law and Order.
Since 2021, the department has approved around 23 public donation campaigns, raising nearly Nu 70 M for treatments such as liver transplants, bone marrow procedures, and spinal cord surgeries, among others.
Officials from the National Referral Hospital told BBS that the referral committee had proposed the inclusion of liver transplants and bone marrow procedures in referral cases. The national guideline for patient referral outside Bhutan is also being revised.
Kinzang Lhadon
Edited by Sonam Pem
