A Prime Minister’s job can be draining. Beginning from a busy Monday of engagements with government duties, up to the whole week of working on problems such as youth unemployment, corruption, and the national debt, I cannot blame them if they would opt out to spend their weekends relaxing. You can probably find them in a golf course with their family.
But for Bhutan’s Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering, his best place to chill is the hospital. This was what he said in an AFP interview:
“Some people play golf, some do archery, and I like to operate,” Tshering told AFP as he tended to patients one Saturday morning at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck national referral hospital, describing his moonlighting medical work as a “de-stresser”.
“I will continue doing this until I die and I miss not being able to be here every day,” he added. “Whenever I drive to work on weekdays, I wish I could turn left towards the hospital.”
Far from finding the two roles hard to juggle, Tshering said he had found that there was unexpected crossover between prime minister and surgeon. “At the hospital I scan and treat patients. In the government, I scan the health of policies and try to make them better,” he said. He has also put healthcare reform at the heart of his political agenda.
Juggling two demanding jobs is really difficult, but Bhutan’s Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering proves it is possible so long as you have the heart to do it.
(Image Credit: Tshering Tobgay)