Before you start

Valid permit and passport for registration at a facility
Private international cover including medical evacuation, strongly advised

Step-by-step

1
Register at the national referral hospital or a nearer basic health unit
Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital in Thimphu is the country's principal facility. Smaller basic health units handle routine primary care across the valley.
In personWho: You
2
Confirm your entitlement with your employer
Free public provision is framed constitutionally around citizens. Access and any charges for foreign nationals can vary in practice, so establish what your permit entitles you to rather than assuming parity.
Via employerWho: You and your employer
3
Take out international cover with evacuation
This is the step that matters. Complex surgery, advanced oncology and major trauma are routinely referred outside Bhutan, usually to India. Evacuation cover is the difference between a referral and a crisis.
OnlineWho: You
4
Use the Health Help Centre for advice
Dialling 112 reaches the national Health Help Centre, which handles both emergency dispatch and medical advice.
In personWho: You
5
Plan pharmacy needs ahead
Bring an adequate supply of any specialist prescription medication along with the prescription itself. Availability of specific brands and formulations is limited.
In personWho: You

Documents you’ll need

Passport and permit
Private insurance policy documents including evacuation cover
Prescriptions and medical history for ongoing conditions
Vaccination records

Things most newcomers don’t know

Medical evacuation cover matters more here than health insurance does.

Care is free but capacity is finite in a country of under a million people. Serious cases are referred abroad, most often to India. A policy that pays for treatment but not for getting you to it solves the wrong half of the problem.

Source: community-reported and standard expatriate practice; confirm specifics with your insurer

Free at the point of use is a constitutional commitment, and it is real.

Bhutan genuinely delivers free basic healthcare, which is remarkable for its income level and reshapes the cost side of living here. Don't confuse limited capacity with the absence of a system.

Source: Bhutan National Health Service framework

Altitude is a medical factor for the first weeks.

At 2,320 m, existing cardiac or respiratory conditions deserve a conversation with your doctor before you commit to a move, and everyone should expect a genuine adjustment period.

Source: community-reported, standard altitude guidance

Dental and optical are thin.

Routine dentistry and optometry are limited relative to what most newcomers are used to. Many expatriates schedule these around trips to Bangkok or India rather than locally.

Source: community-reported

Common mistakes to avoid

Relying on free public provision without evacuation cover.
Assuming foreign nationals have identical entitlements to citizens without checking.
Arriving with a short supply of specialist medication.
Underestimating altitude adjustment with a pre-existing cardiac or respiratory condition.

Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.