It was 8 p.m. I was attending
my evening duty at hospital. I just visited his chamber, and he was visibly busy
with some pending works. As I entered his room, he smiled and welcomed me to
sit on the chair. I sat on the chair across his table, opposite to him. He, with
his trademark gentle voice, asked as to what he may do for me. I said I am
visiting him to get some information about him because I wanted to write
something about him. As soon as he heard what I said, he went blank and
speechless. I, at first, thought that he didn’t like what I said for some
reason. But it wasn’t the case. He slowly started to talk and shared some of
the most daunting challenges he has faced in his life up until now.
He came to Bhutan on 2nd
August, 1975. This year is his 40th year of active service to our
nation. He said that when he came to Bhutan, there wasn’t a simple medical
laboratory services available. For him to start a good laboratory services in
Bhutan was a big challenge, he explained me with the smile of satisfaction on
his face, Bhutanese were not fond
of the profession because they had to
handle patient’s stool, urine and blood, he said. He was accompanied by one
Indian laboratory technician and one Sikkimese helper. Their work was to
examine stool for parasites and to perform blood grouping since there was no
required equipment to perform other parameters, he said.
First three months of
his stay in Bhutan were the toughest. He even thought of going back to his
country as nobody was ready to take up the laboratory works having to deal with
human faeces and urine. However, after some time, people realized that that
laboratory works are also a field of profession and there was a good scope to
get employed there. Gradually, people came forward and wanted to learn from
him. He has trained countless Bhutanese health personnel and still continues to
guide and train the trainees of GesarGyalpo University of Health and Sciences
of Bhutan. Thanks to the tireless work of this old man, today Bhutan can boast
of many qualified laboratory technicians. He says he is happy to see the seed
he sowed many years ago blooming and eventually giving such healthy fruits.
He is a patient’s
Doctor in the truest sense!Early in the morning many patients take advantage of
his time because other Doctors turn up to their office at 9.00a.m. He comes to
his office at 8.00a.m. Every day to complete the pending works but many patients
can be seen lining up to meet him at his chamber. He never lets any patient to
go back without checking. He always checks the patient, go along with the
patient to drop the sample to be tested at every respective chamber and never
let patient bear the trouble of locating and submitting the samples. He checks
many patients, collects blood, stool, and urine sample of the patients by
himself, and then collects reports and always monitors until he/she is alright.
Because he can’t refuse
the patients his help and service, he is not able to finish his work during
office hours mostly. He stays back at his chamber till 8 p.m. every day relying
on the snacks when he feels the need to eat something.He is workaholic. He
works 12 hours every day and even weekends are not free for him. Every single
day is a working day for him. Being under the same department as he is in, I
have learned a lot of good things from him. If I have to summarize whatever I
learned from him in few words, I would say ‘pure dedication to work our
assigned works’.
His employment contract
expired in 2013 but the Government of Bhutan extended it for two more years.
This year is his last and by December end, he will be leaving Bhutan for good.
I asked him whether he would continue working here if his contract was given
another extension. He said he would happily do so because he would take it more
as an obligation than an extension of his employment. I hope he will continue
to contribute to Bhutan is some ways. Bhutan would lose a great contributor if
he decides to leave the country that has been his home for so many years.
In a befitting
conclusion to the words of wisdom he shared with me, he said, “My religion says
that if we do our work whole-heartedly and not half- heartedly, then we will attain
Nirvana when we die. I always try to follow my religion.”
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| Father of medical laboratory of Bhutan. |
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