BHUTAN FORMALIZES TRAINING OF FRESH MEDICAL DOCTORS ON THE MANAGEMENT OF PRIORITIZED ZOONOTIC DISEASES

Bhutan conducted a training-of-trainers (TOT) workshop on managing prioritized zoonotic diseases from 10 to 14 March, 2025, in Phuentsholing. Organized by the Zoonotic Diseases Program under the Department of Public Health (DOPH), Ministry of Health, the TOT received technical support from the WHO Country Office Bhutan and WHO SEARO, New Delhi. Six experts from Bhutan, India, Nepal, and Thailand facilitated the workshop.

The participants included medical specialists, General Medical Officers (GDMO), laboratory officers, epidemiologists, faculty from the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences (KGUMSB), and Zoonoses Program Officers—22 participants in total. The workshop aimed to train master trainers to educate newly recruited medical doctors on zoonotic disease prevention, diagnosis, and clinical management, along with outbreak response.

The training covered topics such as emerging infectious diseases, outbreak investigation, public health surveillance, and clinical management approaches for diseases like encephalitis, viral hepatitis, and foodborne illnesses. Delivered through structured lectures, quizzes, and case discussions, the workshop was highly appreciated. Bhutan plans to implement annual face-to-face training sessions and develop an online training module for broader access via KGUMSB's OpenKGUMSB learning platform. The training module is endorsed by the Bhutan Medical Council.