TIL BDR GHALLEY | Thimphu
Bhutan plans to expand the capacity of its only medical university with a new Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) campus at Gidakom as the country prepares to graduate its first home trained doctors in 2028, although shortages of student accommodation continue to constrain enrolment and the expansion of health science programmes.
The expansion plan emerged during the midterm review of the 13th Five-Year Plan, where the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB) outlined progress in medical education, faculty development and research while warning that limited infrastructure remains the university’s biggest challenge in meeting the country’s growing demand for healthcare professionals.
Dr Pem Namgyal, President of KGUMSB said the government has secured land at Gidakom for a dedicated MBBS campus that will eventually accommodate medical students currently studying at the university’s existing facilities. The relocation is expected to free space for other health science programmes, laboratories, teaching facilities and student services, enabling the university to expand enrolment and diversify academic offerings.
The university is expected to graduate its first cohort of doctors trained entirely in Bhutan in 2028, a milestone Dr Pem Namgyal said would mark a significant step in developing the country’s healthcare workforce.
“The first batch of MBBS students from KGUMSB is expected to graduate in 2028. This will be a historic milestone for Bhutan because it marks the country’s first generation of doctors trained entirely at home,” Dr Pem Namgyal said while presenting the mid- term review on 22 June.
Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay said Bhutan’s medical education system must keep pace with the country’s evolving healthcare needs, particularly in mental health.
He urged KGUMSB to introduce specialised mental health programmes and establish a dedicated Mental Health Department to strengthen education, research and the country’s mental healthcare workforce.
“As the demand for mental health services grows, we must invest in training the professionals needed to meet those challenges,” he said.
He urged KGUMSB to explore introducing specialised academic programmes in mental health to build a stronger workforce capable of responding to the increasing demand for mental health services across the country. Despite recording steady academic progress, KGUMSB continues to struggle with limited physical space at its existing campus.
Mental health has become an increasingly important policy priority in Bhutan as healthcare providers report rising demand for psychological and psychiatric services, particularly among young people.
Despite expanding academic programmes and improving institutional performance, KGUMSB said shortages of hostel accommodation remain the principal obstacle to further growth.
Dr Pem Namgyalsaid inadequate accommodation has limited the university’s ability to increase student intake and has prevented it from meeting one of its Five-Year Plan targets of enrolling international students.
As a result, the university has proposed revising one of its key performance indicators from enrolling 90 international students during the plan period to facilitating international faculty and student exchanges involving 30 participants.
Dr Pem Namgyal said the revised target better reflects existing infrastructure constraints while maintaining international academic engagement through collaborative exchanges.
KGUMSB has also proposed revising another performance indicator relating to jointly certified academic programmes with international institutions.
The president said developing joint certification requires lengthy curriculum alignment, accreditation procedures and institutional partnerships that are unlikely to be completed before the end of the current Five-Year Plan.
“If necessary, we will use budget hotels to temporarily accommodate students until permanent hostel facilities are completed,” Prime Minister said.
The university said the planned Gidakom campus offers the most sustainable long-term solution by creating dedicated facilities for MBBS education while easing pressure on existing infrastructure.
“The Gidakom site is almost ready for development, and construction of the new MBBS campus will commence as soon as the remaining preparatory work is completed,” Dr Pem Namgyal said.
Dr Pem Namgyalsaid relocating medical students would allow KGUMSB to expand other health science programmes that are currently constrained by accommodation.
The university reported that it has made steady progress across most of its institutional targets despite infrastructure limitations.
Of the 17 Key Performance Indicators under the 13th Five-Year Plan, 12 have already been achieved, while three remain on track for completion. Three indicators have been proposed for revision to better reflect implementation realities.
KGUMSB also reported significant improvements in faculty qualifications and teaching capacity.
Half of its academic staff now hold doctoral degrees, meeting the university’s target, while 79 percent possess master’s qualifications.
More than 94 percent of faculty members have achieved the required information and communication technology competency standards after specialised digital skills training for academic staff.
Teaching methods have also evolved, with more than 72 percent of university courses now delivered through blended learning, exceeding the university’s target of 50 percent.
Dr Pem Namgyal said all standard classrooms have been upgraded into smart classrooms, while simulation-based teaching has expanded across health science programmes to provide students with greater clinical preparation before entering hospital settings.
Faculty professional development has also increased through internationally recognised training programmes designed to strengthen teaching quality.
The university said faculty job satisfaction rose from 55 percent in 2023 to 96.3 percent in 2025, surpassing its target of 80 percent.
Alongside improvements in teaching capacity, KGUMSB is expanding academic programmes to address workforce shortages across Bhutan’s healthcare system.
The university plans to launch a Master of Science in Midwifery programme in July this year and has developed a Certificate in Caregiving in collaboration with the Kidu Medical Unit, the DeSuungProgramme and the PEMA Secretariat.
Other new programmes include a Mental Health Nursing Certificate, an MD programme in Acupuncture and Moxibustion, a Diploma in Medical Laboratory Science and Entomology, and a Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science programme that will commence once implementation arrangements are completed.
Dr Pem Namgyal said the programmes are intended to address shortages of specialised healthcare professionals while supporting the country’s changing healthcare priorities.
KGUMSB exceeded its publication target by producing 38 research papers against a target of 35.
Sixteen papers were published in the Bhutan Health Journal and another 22 in the Sorig Journal.
The university also completed nine consultancy and collaborative research projects covering public health issues including dengue surveillance, cataract prevalence, urinary tract infections among pregnant women, leishmaniasis, dermatology, nutrition and health systems assessment.
Dr Pema Namgay said research capacity has been strengthened through the establishment of Bhutan’s first Bhutan–International Vaccine Institute Collaborating Centre, the launch of the Bhutan Sorig Journal, the creation of the Sorig Research Centre and the establishment of research centres at two regional referral hospitals.
KGUMSB also hosted Bhutan’s first International Cardiology Conference in collaboration with Bangla Interventional Therapeutics, bringing together about 150 healthcare professionals to discuss advances in cardiovascular medicine.
Under the 13th Five-Year Plan, the university has been allocated Nu. 1.566 billion for institutional development.
Dr Pem Namgyalsaid Nu. 176.16 million has been spent so far, representing 11.24 percent of the total allocation and 43.69 percent of the approved budget for the first two fiscal years.
The university said major infrastructure projects will require sustained investment during the remaining years of the current plan and into the next planning cycle.
Dr Pem Namgyal recommended prioritising campus expansion and student accommodation in the next Five-Year Plan while reviewing procedures governing international faculty and student exchanges to simplify administrative requirements and strengthen global academic collaboration.
Dr Pem Namgyal said the proposed Gidakom campus, together with interim accommodation measures and continued government investment, would allow KGUMSB to increase student enrolment, expand specialised medical education and strengthen Bhutan’s capacity to train its own healthcare professionals as demand for health services continues to grow.
