Official Newsletter of the Department of Health

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October-December 2000
Volume 14, Issue 3

In this issue:

• H.H inaugurated and blessed Ngoenga school
• New director for Ngoenga school
• Refresher course for community health workers
• TB & Leprosy seminar
• Mental health workshop
• R.H progarm officer & Mental health counsellor toured South India
• Medical camp held
• Drinking water & sanitation projects
• Visitors to the Department
• Hospitals received donation
• Staff honored
• Staff update

1. H.H inaugurated and blessed Ngoenga school

His Holiness the Dalai Lama inaugurated and blessed the hostel, clinic, main school building and prayer hall of the Ngoenga School for Tibetan Handicapped Children near Dehra Dun in Uttranchal and planted a Bodhi tree.

Earlier, Italian donors led by Mr Vittrio Casarin and Japanese donors led by Mr Shuichi Kanno visited Ngoenga School and inaugurated clinic and prayer hall of the school respectively. Health Minister, Mrs. Yangkee S. Dhashi and Health Secretary, Mr. Tsering Dorjee visited the school from 10 to 18 November, 2000 to oversee the preparations for His Holiness' visit to the school.

2. New director for Ngoenga school

Ms Namgyal Lhamo Taklha, former Secretary of Planning Council and also the Department of Health, Central Tibetan Administration has taken over as the new Director of Ngoenga School for Tibetan Handicapped Children from 16 December' 2000 despite superannuating from service. She took over the responsibility of the Director of the school from the outgoing Director, Mr K.K Wangchuk, who is also a CTA retired staff in the presence of Secretary of Health Department, Mr Tsering Dorjee.

3. Refresher Course for Community Health Workers

Community health workers of north-eastern Tibetan settlements and Doon and Sirmaur settlements received a two week long refresher training at Tenzingang Tibetan Settlement, Bomdila and Dekyiling Tibetan health centre, Dehra Dun respectively. Dr Ngodup, medical officer of Menlha hospital, Orissa and Dr Lobsang Tsering, medical officer of Dekyiling Tibetan health centre were the resource persons during each of the training. In both the training topics covered included Universal Precautions, safe-motherhood issues, Basic counselling, HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, Tuberculosis (TB), Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), etc.

The training were organized with the financial assistance from European Union (EU) through German Leprosy Relief Association (GLRA), Germany

4. Joint secretary visited Southern Tibetan settlements

Mr Phurbu Tsering, Joint secretary Department of Health, CTA visited southern Tibetan settlements and hospitals from 22 October to 11 November' 2000. He visited Kollegal, Hunsur, Byalakuppe and Mundgod. The objective of the visit is to evaluate the functioning of the hospitals and various health related projects in the settlements.

5. TB & Leprosy Seminar cum workshop held

A 3-day Tuberculosis and Leprosy seminar cum workshop was held at Bangalore from November 7 to 9 November '2000. More than thirty Tibetan allopathic doctors, health coordinators, nurses attended the seminar. Resource persons were invited from National Tuberculosis Institute (NTI) Bangalore, and GLRA, Chennai.

TB Seminar participants, Bangalore

Topics discussed during the seminar included case finding, sputum examination, Direct Observe Therapy (DOT), training, data reporting, supervision, drug quality, MDR (Multi Drug Resistance) treatment, school TB control program and introduction to Leprosy. Some of the important resolutions passed during the workshop are;

• To strengthen the regional and central TB control supervision activities.
• To enhance School TB control program.
• Conduct training for nurses and community health workers in TB control activities.
• To train medical doctors and laboratory technicians at National Tuberculosis Institute (NTI), Bangalore in TB control activities.

6. Mental Health workshop conducted

A mental health workshop was conducted at TsoJhe Khangsar hospital, Bylakuppe, South India from Nov. 4 to 23 '2000. Eighteen participants from Southern Tibetan Settlements, Dehra Dun, Ladakh and Dharamsala attended the workshop. Mr. Ulrik Jorgensen & Ms. Anne Viveke from Denmark were the resource persons during the workshop. The workshop session was marked by a day of evaluation of the previous training and two days of training of 32 foster mothers of SOS TCV school and 40 nuns of Tibetan nunnery, Bylakuppe by the participants, which was closely observed by the resource persons and later gave feedback on their performance.

7. RH program manager & Mental Health counselor toured South India

Our new Reproductive Health (RH) Program manager Ms. Tsering Lhamo and Ms. Tenzin Bhuti, mental health counselor made a trip to four major Tibetan Settlements in south India i.e. Kollegal, Bylakuppe, Hunsur and Mundgod to supervise how the women centers are functioning in each of these settlements and to oversee the progress of mental health program. They underlined the need to educate the public on issues like women's health and importance of the project as the issues related to women's problem like rape, gender violence, mental health are very sensitive issues in our community and so often goes un-reported due to factors such as lack of support, shame, fear, etc.

8. Medical Camp held

A medical camp was held at TsoJhe Khangsar hospital, Bylakuppe by a team of doctors from Kasturba hospital, Manipal under Tibetan Manipal Health Plan from 15th Oct through 17th Oct 2000. The medical team comprised of eight doctors i.e 4 from medicine, 1 from ENT, 1 from Gastroenterology, 1 from PTCD & 1 from Skin & Dermatology.
More than six hundred patients including monks and nuns had shown up during the camp and benefited from the camp. A similar camp was also organized earlier at DTR Hospital, Mundgod in which more than two hundred patients benefited.

9. Drinking Water and Sanitation

Availability of clean & adequate drinking water and proper sanitation facilities are some of the few indicators of good health. But the problems of lack of adequate and clean drinking water and sanitation facilities continue to exist in some of the Tibetan settlements despite initiatives taken by the Department. Some of the activities undertaken by the Department to overcome the problems related to water & sanitation include:

• Provision of regular supply of adequate and clean drinking water like laying water connection, construction /purchase of water tanks, drilling bore wells, etc.
• Provision of proper sanitation facilities like toilets, bathrooms, drainage, etc.
• Renovation of existing water and sanitation facilities. The Department, in such cases approves funding only if the reason behind the need for renovation is other than poor maintenance.

9.1 Choglamsar, Leh-Ladakh

Loss of live stock every year due to cold and snowfall forced many nomads /semi-nomads of Chumur in Jhangthang to flee to lower areas of Leh in search of livelihood. At present, they have been rehabilitated in Sonamling Tibetan Refugee Settlement, Choglamsar in separate organized groups, and engage themselves mostly in road and building construction. The settlers do not get adequate drinking water supply and thus affect their health and sanitation. Department of Health after assessing the availability and adequacy of drinking water, installed three hand pumps for the migrated people.

9.2 Tibetan Muslim Community, Srinagar

Tibetan Muslim community in Srinagar in Jammu & Kashmir has a population of about 1047 people. Due to years of political destabilization and terrorism in the region, the place, once a favorite tourist destination, has eventually degenerated into an economically backward area. The colony has a primary health care centre functioning under the Department of Health that takes care of the basic health needs of the people. Since inception, the colony has no drainage system, as a result of which the community continues to suffer from all kinds of health and sanitation problems. The Department in order to overcome their problem funded construction of U-shaped surface drain covering the entire colony.

9.3 Sed Gyud Institute of Buddhist Studies, Salugara

The Institute is located at Salugara in northeastern part of India. The institute being recently established has no means to provide proper drinking water and sanitation to the novice monks and thus affecting the sanitation of the environment and their health. The Department approved funding for laying of drinking water connection, construction of toilets, safety tanks, a hand pump and bathrooms to alleviate their problems.

Visitors to Department
Mrs Fusako Okawa, Mrs Atsoko and Ms. Sonam visited the department and met Minister of Health Mrs.Yangkee S. Dhashi. Mrs. Dhashi briefed the visitors on the activities of Department of Health and thanked the visiting dignitaries for their commitment and support given to various Departments of Central Tibetan Administration. They agreed to support part of Tsuglag-Khang road widening and public convenience project.

Chairman Mr Vittoria Casarin, Wife Mrs. Francesca Albertin, Minister of Social and Culture Ms Vera Slepoj and some other officials of Ministry of Social & Culture, Provincial Government of Padova visited Dharamsala and met minister of Health Mrs Yangkee S. Dhashi and discussed issues related to the activities of the Department. A dinner was hosted in honor of the visiting dignitaries. There were later taken around to some of the Tibetan Institutions in and around Dharamsala by our Joint secretary Mr Yusuf Naik. They also had a audience of His Eminence Karmapa Rinpoche and enquired about his health and study.

Joint secretary visited Tibetan Settlements
Joint secretary and chief project officer, Department of Health, Mr Yusuf Naik along with Mr Ravi Chandran, Program Manager, German Leprosy and Relief Association, Chennai visited Tibetan settlements in Dolanji, Puruwala, Paonta Sahib, Herbertpur, Rajpur, Dekyiling and Bhandara to supervise and evaluate the European Union (EU) funded projects. European Union (EU) through GLRA, Germany is funding construction of toilets, water tank in these settlements, and has also provided funds for hospital equipment.

Hospitals received donation
Dhondenling Van Thiel hospital, Kollegal received donations for renovation of hospital building and to purchase medical equipments from His Eminence Dzogchen Rinpoche of Dzogchen Monastery, Kollegal. His Eminence donated a sum of Indian rupees thirteen hundred thousand (13,00,000/-). Rinpoche has also assured similar assistance in future.

Director and members of Initiative Oberland, Germany through Ven. Acharya Guru Gyaltsen, Member of Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies donated two new Boyles apparatus for general anesthesia and a new operation table for Doeguling Tibetan Refugee (DTR) hospital, Mundgod.

Phuntsoking Menlha Hospital received assorted gift medicines from Assitance Medicale "Toit du Monde" France for the poor and needy patients. The Association has been donating medicines to the hospital on regular basis and provided financial assistance for the camp 3 drinking water project.

Japan media system donated two computers to Department of Health- one to Ngoenga School for Tibetan Handicapped Children, Dehra Dun and one to head office.

The Department on behalf of the hospitals and the settlers would like to thank the donors for their generous help.

Staff honored for their service
Seven staff were honored for their 25 years health service to the Tibetan community. The staff are Dr Lobsang Choephel, Dr Ngawang Khentse, Dr Tsering Dorji of Mentsee Khang and nurse Tsewang Yangdon and nurse Tsering Wangmo of Tibetan Delek Hospital, Dharamsala. Chairman of the Kashag, Kalon Sonam Topgyal on behalf of the Health Department, CTA, honored the staff with a scarf, certificate and cash award of Indian rupees one thousand five hundred each at a ceremony held at Dharamsala to commemorate the 11th anniversary of conferment of Nobel Peace Prize to His Holiness the Dalai Lama. Two Indian staff, Saramma of DTR Hospital, Mundgod and Karpama of DVT Hospital, Kollegal were also honored for their service in their respective settlements by the settlement officer.

Staff Update

• Ms Tsewang Dolma Shosur, Representative of DoeguYugyaling Tibetan Setllement, Herbertpur joined the Department from December '2000.
• Dr Lobsang Jugney took over as the new medical officer & administrator of Menlha hospital, Orissa following the appointment of Dr Ngodup as medical consultant at the Head Office.
• Mr Pemba Labrang, health coordinator of TsoJhe hospital, Bylakuppe was transferred and appointed as male nurse and in- charge of PHC Bhandara.
• Mr Tenpa T.K, health coordinator of DTR hospital, Mundgod was transferred to TsoJhe hospital as the new Health coordinator.
• Mr Migmar, health coordinator of Ladakh region joined DTR hospital, Mundgod as the new health coordinator.
• Mr Tashi Gyalpo, pharmacist and in-charge of the newly opened medical store of TsoJhe hospital, Bylakuppe was elevated to the post of health coordinator of Ladakh region.
• Mr Tenzin Lhawang, community health worker of PHC Miao was transferred to PHC Samyeling, Delhi.
• Mr Lobsang Gelek, community health worker of PHC Mainpat was transferred to Menlha hospital, Orissa.