Jigme Namgay, from Chapcha under Chukha Dzongkhag. He is a graduate in BA Economics and Environment from Royal Thimphu College(RTC) in 2015. His main aim is to create awareness on the importance of one Ngultrum currency in the country whereby the 100% of the fund generated through this initiative will be devoted in supporting individuals and families infected and affected by Kidney disease in Bhutan. Through his initiative he believe that an individual, groups, agencies, institutions and others shall support for the cause. Each year, the number of people affected by chronic kidney disease is increasing. In 2015, the average number of people diagnosed with chronic kidney disease was 12 persons per month. (Refer also to http://www.kuenselonline.com/kidney-failure-cases-increasing/). A trend is that young adults seem to be increasingly affected; In 2014 alone, 9 students had to compromise their education to receive treatment. These are just cases that the Bhutan Kidney Foundation has come into contact with. The Bhutan Kidney Foundation (BKF) is the registered Civil Society Organization/ Charity organization registered under the Patronage of Her Majesty The Gyaltsuen Jetsun Pema Wangchuck (Queen of Bhutan). The Foundation is the only CSO in the country advocating for services and care for people with chronic kidney diseases. Besides its relentless focus on early detection and prevention programs through advocacy and awareness particularly focusing on Non-Communicable Diseases like Diabetes and High Blood Pressure and infections, the Foundation’s Patient’s Support Programme is perceived as an important aspect which determines patients’ courage to battle kidney disease and live healthier lives. Through this 1 Ngultrum initiative, the Initiator aims to raise fund for the Bhutanese Kidney Patients Welfare project under the Bhutan Kidney Foundation. The fund raised will be used for the following activities:
1. Grocery Support at Patient Guest Houses(Thimphu and Mongar):
Based on the need identified, the BKF intercedes in this issue by supplying groceries, green vegetables and toiletries at the Patient Guest Houses1 once in every two months ensuring that the patients’ basic needs are met.
2.Goods Support at Patient Guest Houses(Thimphu and Mongar):
As Kidney patients occupying the Guest Houses are confronted with difficulties to meet seasonal requirement, the BKF ensure that the patients are sheltered with proper and basic need such as room heaters, table fans, electrical cooking appliances, refrigerators and recreational facilities among others.
3.Academic expenses of patients’ school going children:
While undergoing treatment (dialysis) far away from home, meeting children’s education expenses comes as a big burden as many adult victims are either single parents or sole bread earner of the family. This compels parents to either withdraw children from school or send as domestic worker with others. The BKF work closely with the school management of respective students for the scholarship of those deprived students.
4.Financial support for review & treatment in India:
Despite Government’s support, many patients suffer huge financial deficit while undergoing months and months of treatment/Surgery in India where living expenses are relatively expensive on the requirement to maintain extreme hygiene. On patients’ approach and proposal, the BKF provide short term financial assistance after verifying the families’ source of income/financial status with assist from the local government of the patients’ village/sub-district.
5.Travel Expenses on referral & treatment – Domestic:
The kidney patients undergoing dialysis in Mongar and Gelephu Regional Referral Hospital face financial problem when referred for further treatment in the Capital. The BKF extends its support in this area by covering the patients’ travel fare, food and accommodation.
6.Seed Money for Home-Based business:
As to meaningfully engage the dialysis patients, the BKF provide seed money or the materials to start up Home-Based Business for the patients residing at the Patient Guest Houses. These activities infuse values and belief that dialysis patients can as well work and live a normal life and thus, enabling them to equally contribute for the socio-economic development of the country.
7.Others:
This area reserves for ad hoc and unplanned patient support programme such as semso during the event of death and other misfortunes, repair and maintenance of public property installed at the Patient Guest Houses and renovation/refurbishment of Patient Guest Houses among others.
