About us

• Providing leadership on matters critical to health and engaging in partnerships where joint action is needed;
• Shaping the research agenda and stimulating the generation, translation and dissemination of valuable knowledge;
• Setting norms and standards, and promoting and monitoring their implementation;
• Articulating ethical and evidence-based policy options;
• Providing technical support, catalyzing change, and building sustainable institutional capacity;
• Monitoring the health situation and assessing health trends

• Bhutan formally joined WHO on 8 March 1982. However, the country had commenced to engage with WHO many years prior to this, the most significant being participation in the International Conference on Primary Health Care, in Alma Ata in September 1978. Bhutan formally adopted the Alma Ata Declaration of 'Health For All,' in 1979, as the guiding principle for the development of modern health services in the country.

  Within this context, Bhutan joined WHO to seek its support and technical guidance to develop and promote a modern health care system in the country.

  It was during the tenure of Dr U Ko Ko as the Regional Director of South-East Asia Region that the basic agreement between WHO and the Government of Bhutan was concluded on 3 January 1983. The WHO Country office for Bhutan was established in Thimphu in 1983 and was first headed by Dr M. Saifullah, a Public Health Administrator,. Dr B.A. Kawengian became the first World Health Organization Representative accredited to the country in 1989.

  For WHO, Bhutan was a challenge and an opportunity. It was a difficult country given its rugged topography and scattered population. Further, at the time of initiation of cooperation, the communication infrastructure was still rudimentary with many of the districts still connected only by mule-tracks. The WHO collaborative programme with the Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) was first established during the biennium 1982-1983 covering only two programme areas. The programme for collaboration based on successive 5-year Country Cooperation Strategies (CCS) signed with the Royal Government of Bhutan, has since grown to encompass over 40 public health program areas. WHO is the lead technical partner of RGOB in the area of health and also works very closely with other sectoral ministries and national agencies active in the area of health. All national policies, plans and programmes are developed and implemented by the Ministry of Health and national partners, thus ensuring full national ownership. Over the past decade, the international public health landscape has changed, with many new partners and stakeholders working in international health. Similarly, the national health landscape has changed in recent years with changing population dynamics, epidemiological transition and rapid socio-economic development. The establishment of new regulatory bodies and emergence of non-governmental and community-based organizations has added to the number of partners working in health together with the MOH and the few sectoral ministries traditionally associated with health.

  The CCS 2020-2024 addresses five broad strategic areas:

• Achieving UHC through integrated people-centered quality health care services;
• Improve reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, adolescent health (RMNCAH) and healthy ageing; 
• Build health system resilience to address communicable diseases and effects of health emergencies and climate change;
• Address NCDs and its determinants with strategic priority; and
• Strengthen data, research, innovation and knowledge brokerage, providing enabling support to the other four strategies 

• Universal health coverage: 1 billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage;
• Health emergencies: 1 billion more people better protected from health emergencies;
• Healthier populations: 1 billion more people enjoying better health and well-being.

Office address:
World Health Organization
In Ministry of Health Building
Kawangjangsa
Post Box - 175
Thimphu
Bhutan

Telephone number:
+975 1763 6751
Email: sebhuinfo@who.int

Office hours: 09.00 to 05.30 (Monday to Friday)

WHO Bhutan Holiday List (2024)

Bhutan, located in the central Himalayas, is a land-locked country of approximately 38 394 sq kms bordered on the west, south, and east by India and on the north by the autonomous region of Tibet. The altitude varies from 300 metres in the south to 7 300 metres in the north. A majority of the country’s population of around 700 000 is Buddhist; Hindus are another important group. Languages include Dzongkha (national language), various regional dialects and Nepali. The medium of instruction in schools is English. The economy is primarily based on agriculture, hydropower, tourism and forestry. Bhutan’s major trading partner is India, while Bangladesh, Thailand, Japan, UK, Germany and the USA are among other trading partners.

Mr Sonam Tobgye

Media Focal