Ministry of Health; Royal Government of Bhutan Country Resources General Health Policies Bhutan 2011 Policy document

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Health has held a prominent place in Bhutan’s economic development where the government spends around 7.4 to 11.4% of total government expenditure on health (Policy and Planning Division, 2009). As a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), public health spending alone (not counting private health expenditure) constitutes approximately 4% (V.selvaraju, Wangmo, Wangchuk, & Dendup, 2009-10).

While Bhutan has overcome many obstacles in the past, it now confronts new and varied challenges such as:

- rising health care expenditure;
- changing life style and disease pattern;
- inadequate human resources;
- changing political environment;
- increasingly evolving health care needs of the population;
- international health obligations and
- new health technologies.

Despite numerous challenges, it is envisioned that the National Health Policy shall set the agenda and provide general direction to guide the government in achieving the national and international health goals within the spirit of social justice and equity.

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