March 16, 2018

Bhutan’s first Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) training took place in Thimphu for 35 medical doctors, lecturers, and nurses from the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences, regional hospitals, and basic health units from western and central parts of Bhutan. The three-day workshop taught our local doctors and health workers how to assess a patient’s condition, resuscitate and stabilize, and determine if the patient needs further intensive care. The course delivered a safe and reliable method for immediate management of injured patients and addressed how to arrange a patient’s inter-hospital transfer and assure that optimum care is provided throughout the process.

According to Mr. Ugyen Tshering, program officer of the Emergency Medical Services Division of the Ministry of Health, “this course will further help to provide adequate, timely, and effective trauma care that is life or limb saving for injured patients in the country.”

Originally designed for emergency situations in which only one doctor and one nurse are present, ATLS is now widely accepted as the standard of care for initial assessment and treatment in trauma centers. The premise of the ATLS program is to treat the greatest threat to life first. The second batch of training will be conducted in Gelephu in Southern Bhutan from March 27th to 29th for medical doctors of eastern and central parts of the country.

The Bhutan Foundation is excited to support this training under our Emergency Medical Services Program in collaboration with the Emergency Medical Services Division of the Ministry of Health and the Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital.

Read more coverage on this training here by the Ministry of Health’s Facebook page.