Dr. Karma Tshering Wangchuk

Dr. Karma Tshering Wangchuk is a consultant psychiatrist at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital (JDWNRH) in Thimphu, Bhutan's primary tertiary hospital. As one of a very small number of formally trained psychiatrists in the country, he carries significant responsibility for mental health service delivery across the Kingdom. His practice addresses the full range of psychiatric disorders, with particular focus on severe mental illness — schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression — as well as the growing burden of substance use disorders, particularly alcohol. Dr. Wangchuk trained at NIMHANS in Bengaluru, India's premier neuropsychiatry institute, bringing world-class psychiatric training back to Bhutan. He combines biomedical psychiatry with sensitivity to Bhutanese cultural and spiritual frameworks, working collaboratively with traditional medicine practitioners and community health workers to reach patients in remote dzongkhags.

Dr. Wangchuk completed his MBBS at the Khesar Gyalpo University of Medical Sciences of Bhutan (KGUMSB) in Thimphu, Bhutan's own medical university. He was subsequently sponsored by the Bhutanese government to undertake MD Psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in Bengaluru, India — widely considered one of Asia's leading institutions for psychiatric training. His residency encompassed inpatient and community psychiatry, addiction medicine, child and adolescent psychiatry, and liaison psychiatry. He also completed a WHO-supported certificate programme in community mental health, which informed his approach to building district-level mental health capacity in Bhutan. He attends the World Psychiatric Association congress biennially and engages in ongoing professional development through the Indian Psychiatric Society.

Dr. Wangchuk provides comprehensive psychiatric assessment and treatment for adult patients and, increasingly, for adolescents. His primary area of practice is severe mental illness including schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, and bipolar affective disorder, where he initiates and monitors psychopharmacological treatment. He has particular interest in alcohol use disorder, which represents a major public health concern in Bhutan, and runs a structured alcohol detoxification and rehabilitation programme at JDWNRH. He also treats anxiety disorders, PTSD, and depression, incorporating basic cognitive behavioural techniques alongside medication. Community mental health outreach — visiting district hospitals and dzongkhag health centres — is a core part of his practice, extending specialist psychiatric care beyond the capital.

Dr. Wangchuk consults in Dzongkha, English, and Hindi. International tourists and expatriates in Bhutan experiencing psychiatric emergencies or requiring urgent psychiatric review can access his services through JDWNRH's emergency department and outpatient clinic. For non-emergency psychiatric consultations, appointments are made through the hospital's outpatient registration. He can communicate with patients' home-country psychiatrists regarding medication and care continuity, which is especially important for tourists or expatriates who develop acute psychiatric episodes while visiting Bhutan. Telemedicine capacity is currently limited within Bhutan's healthcare infrastructure.

Dr. Wangchuk is registered with the Bhutan Medical and Health Council and holds membership with the Indian Psychiatric Society and the World Psychiatric Association. He has been recognised by the Ministry of Health of Bhutan for his contributions to the national mental health programme and his role in training primary care doctors in basic mental health recognition and management. He has contributed to Bhutan's National Mental Health Policy and Action Plan and presented at regional South-East Asian mental health forums. He collaborates with WHO Bhutan and with international mental health NGOs working in the Himalayan region.