Royal Centre for Infectious Diseases: Bhutan’s Royal Centre for Infectious Diseases at Gidagom is ready to start taking patients and handling emergencies next month, with an 80-bed capacity (100 during public health crises) and its first negative-pressure isolation unit, plus roles in research, surveillance and training. MBBS Expansion: KGUMSB plans a new MBBS campus at Gidakom to support Bhutan’s first home-trained doctors graduating in 2028, aiming to ease accommodation limits and expand health science programmes. Disaster Preparedness: Thimphu’s major earthquake simulation found gaps in emergency coordination, communication, medical readiness, traffic management and logistics, with delays in activating systems and unclear reporting lines flagged for improvement. Drug Abuse Response: Bhutan marked the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, with the Health Minister urging stronger, evolving action against synthetic drugs and better prevention, care and recovery support without stigma. Census 2027 Digital Shift: The National Statistics Bureau is preparing Bhutan’s 2027 Population and Housing Census as the country’s first fully digital census using CAPI, with UNFPA support for planning and capacity building. Cost of Living Relief: After the GST Amendment Act 2026, GST-registered businesses stop charging 5% on more essential items, including key kitchen staples and disability-related welfare goods, with retroactive effect clarified by the revenue department.