Distinction in travel journalism
Is independent travel journalism important to you?
Click here to keep it independent

25 Aug, 2011

Gross National Happiness in Bhutan – New Review Published

The authors of a new paper on Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness, Tashi Tobgay, Ugen Dophu, Christina Torres and Kesara Na-Bangchang, report on the current status of Bhutan’s health and happiness.

Health makes up about 5.7% of the total planned budget from the government, which has resulted in significant improvements for all health indicators. Life expectancy has raised from 49 in 1994 to 66 in 2008. The infant mortality rate/1000 live births has more than halved in the 24 years between 1984 and 2008.

Bhutan was the first country to ban the sale of tobacco (in 2004), has eliminated leprosy (in 1997) and iodine deficiency disorder (in 2003). Universal childhood immunization was also achieved in 1991. In 1998 the World Health Organization’s award for primary health care went to Bhutan.

via Gross National Happiness in Bhutan, in New Review Published by Dove Medical Press.

Download the full paper here.