BBSCL

The National Health Survey 2023 reveals that areca nut consumption among Bhutanese aged 15 to 69 rose to nearly 60 per cent last year, marking a three per cent increase since 2019. The health ministry attributes the rise to the product being cheap, easily available and culturally accepted in the country. To address this, the ministry plans to introduce measures...

The wait is almost over for the residents of Tashichhoeling Dungkhag in Samtse as the new 20-bed hospital nears completion. 96 per cent of the work is complete. Worth some Nu 500 M, the facility is set to bring improved healthcare services and renewed hope to the community when it opens in April next year. The new hospital is located...

Sakteng in Trashigang, which once boasted of rich, untouched wilderness, is now facing an increasing concern about waste management. The community, now connected with road networks, is seeing an increasing number of shops adding to the waste management issues. The Sakteng Gewog Administration’s new landfill with proper fencing is expected to address the issue. Managing waste, especially plastic, is becoming...

Access to water is essential for daily life, but not everyone has it 24/7. In Khainorong Village of Samdrup Jongkhar’s Gomdar Gewog, residents have been struggling with severe drinking water shortages. Their only water supply system, built 20 years ago, has never been upgraded, leaving the community desperate for a solution. The water supply has become inadequate with no major...