Seven days into the nationwide lockdown in Bhutan, Karchung and his wife Lhamo were growing anxious. The couple is expecting their first child.

The 28-year-old was in her second trimester and she was worried about her antenatal care (ANC) visits to the hospital.

“We were very worried when the lockdown was announced. More than the food essentials, we were worried about our child.”

Anticipating such situations, the health ministry introduced the teleconsultation (remote contact) services to reduce risks for pregnant mothers.

The teleconsultation services for the mother and child health services including immunisation were planned even before the nationwide lockdown with line-listing of all the pregnant women across the country.

The health ministry has so far been one of the well-coordinated agencies handling the lockdown and the pandemic in the country. Besides the containment efforts of Covid-19, the ministry continues to deliver all essential services uninterrupted across the country.

https://kuenselonline.com/health-facilities-coping-up-with-the-new-normal/