Thimphu (Kuensel/ANN) - About Nu 30 M(US$607,165) went into treating alcohol related diseases in 2010 a study by Bhutan's National Statistical Bureau's socio-economic research and analysis division (SERAD) estimates.
The amount includes Nu 25.7M spent to treat the patients in the country, about Nu 2.4M spent on patients referred to India, whose serious condition were partially attributable to alcohol, and Nu 2.78M spent in traditional medical services rendered in 19 district hospitals.
The cost, however, does not include the expenditure incurred in rendering traditional medicine services to patients with alcohol related diseases in the traditional hospital in Kawajangsa, Thimphu.
The study, Alcohol use and abuse in Bhutan, which would be released in March and serve as a groundwork for the human capital accounts of Bhutan's proposed new GNH national accounts, states that more than 90 deaths occur because of alcohol liver diseases every year.
The study also shows that of the 1,500 psychiatric patients treated within three years, more than 150 patients were alcoholics. "Alcohol caused 122 traffic accident in 2009 alone."
To estimate the healthcare costs of alcohol abuse in the country, the study used unit cost for inpatient, outpatient and disease-specific in-patients costs from Jigme Dorji Wangchuck national referral hospital's medical records and data maintained by the Bhutan Health Management Information System.
Alcohol-related diseases include alcohol liver disease, mental and behaviourial disorder due to alcohol abuse, toxic effect of alcohol, liver cirrhosis and pancreatitis.
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