St. John’s Ambulance, Commander, Mr. Desmond Tito and a group of volunteers from Wales visited Dharamsala. They had a meeting with Health Kalon, Mr. Thupten Lungrig, Health Secretary, Mr. Tenpa C.Samkhar and Joint Secretary, Mr. Yusuf Naik regarding their involvement with First Aid Training at hospitals and schools in Tibetan settlements.

Mrs. Virginie Savin, President, Aides Enfance Tibetaine (AET), France,Mr. George Bordet, Secretary and Mr. Gilbert Leprosy visited Dharamsala on 8^th March 2006. They had discussions with Joint Secretary, Mr. Yusuf Naik, Project Officer, Ms. Kalsang Lhamo and Project Assistant Ms. Tenzin Tseten on various on-going projects and especially on their funded Water Projects at Orissa and Mainpat Tibetan settlements. Other important health programs like Dental training program and the status of Tuberculosis control program in the Tibetan community were also discussed. Afterwards, they had a meeting with the Health Kalon where they discussed on their long association with the Tibetan community and on future programs.

Ms. Kalsang Choedon, coordinator, Taiwan Tibet Exchange Foundation (TTEF), Taiwan visited Dharamsala in March. She had a meeting with Health Secretary, Mr. Tenpa C. Samkhar, Joint Secretary Mr. Yusuf Naik, Under Secretary, Ms. Kalsang Lhamo and Project Assistant Ms. Tenzin Tseten.

They had detailed discussions on the TTEF funded project implementation and on future health projects at various Tibetan settlements.

The following projects funded by United States Humanitarian Assistance (USHA) have now been completed.

1. First phase of water project at Miao Tibetan settlement is completed and submersible pump for drilling was set up at two different places. Drilling machine was brought all the way from Hyderabad, as special drilling machine was required in that particular area.
2. Toilet project at Lugsung Samdupling Tibetan settlement.
3. Water project at Dholanji, Solan Tibetan settlement.The facility will benefit all the people living in and around the settlement.
4. Sanitation project at Nyungne Temple,Chauntra Tibetan settlement.
5. Sanitation project at the Tibetan settlement, Bhutan.
6. Completion of Drainage project at Dekyiling Tibetan settlement has been able to provide maximum and optimum benefit to the people living in the settlement with clean and more hygienic environment.
7. Toilet project at Kamrao Tibetan settlement.
8. Water and Sanitation project at Mewoen Tsuglag Petoen school, Dharamsala.

1. First phase of Water project at Phuntsokling Tibetan Settlement, Orissa.
2. Water project at Phendeyling Tibetan Settlement, Mainpat.

1. Second phase of Drinking Water project at Miao Tibetan settlement.
2. Water project at Doeguling Tibetan Resettlement Hospital and Doeguling Tibetan settlement, Mundgod.
3. Sanitation project at Pangang Monastery,Kullu.

Compound Wall project at Phende Hospital, Hunsur funded by Taiwan Tibet Exchange Foundation (TTEF) is completed. Mr. Sue Jie Own, Secretary, TTEF, Taiwan inaugurated the same during his visit to India in February 2006.

On behalf of all the settlers of the respective settlements in particular and all Tibetans living in exile, we express our immense gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to all the concerned donors: USHA, AET, SOIR - IM, ICDF and TTEF for supporting these important projects; without their financial, moral and constant support the completion and success of all the above projects wouldn’t have been possible.

The completion of these projects has benefited all the Tibetan inhabitants in the settlements and the local people with a more hygienic environment and a better health care facility. We hope that such support will continue for our future health projects also.

Stress is the “wear and tear” our bodies experience as we adjust to our continually changing environment; it has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress can help compel us to action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective. As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, stomach upset, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke. With the death of a loved one, the birth of a child, a job promotion, or a new relationship, we experience stress as we readjust our lives. In so adjusting to different circumstances, stress will help or hinder us depending on how we react to it.

The first tip in managing stress is to recognize your stressors. The next step is to put each of them in their place. The following stress management tips, based on some old and some new adages, can help you do just that!

Diet
Eat a balanced, nutritious diet. General health and stress resistance can be enhanced by eating well and by avoiding stresses such as alcohol, caffeine, tobacco and junk food.

Exercise
Exercise regularly, because exercise promotes emotional well-being as well as personal fitness.

Time management
Schedule your time more effectively using a calendar and to do lists, prioritizing and realizing you can’t do everything.

Distraction
Balance work and play by planning time for hobbies and recreation activities that stimulate your mind and take you away from stresses temporarily. Even diversions like taking a shower, going to a movie or taking a walk can help you feel better.

Relaxation
Slow, deep breathing will bring your heart rate and respiration back to normal.

Practice relaxation exercises every day including visualization, deep muscle relaxation, meditation and deep breathing. Muscle relaxation techniques can help reduce muscle tension.

Positive imagery
Rehearse for stressful events. Imagine yourself feeling calm and confident in a stressful situation. You will be able to relax more easily when the situation arises.

Let yourself laugh and cry. Laughter makes your muscles go limp and releases tension, so try to keep a sense of humor. Tears can help cleanse the substances that come up under stress.

Phendeyling Tibetan Settlement was established in 1962 with the magnanimous help from the Government of India and Madhya Pradesh State Government. It is the second oldest Tibetan settlement in exile and is situated on a small plateau in Central India over an area of 2400 acres. It has a total population of 1666 out of which 816 are male and 850 female. The settlement is divided into seven camps and each camp is separated at an average distance of seven kilometers.

The settlement has a representative office, a co-operative office, one middle school run by Central Tibetan Schools Administration with four pre-primary schools, three monasteries, one old age home and a branch clinic of Tibetan Medical and Astro Institute. Settler’s main sources of livelihood are farming and seasonal sweater selling. They cultivate potato, rice, mustard, maize, bug weed, soyabean, millet etc.

Initially there were no proper health care facility for the settlement people and as a result there had been widespread death and illnesses. The Department of Health, Central Tibetan Administration felt the urgent need to set up a primary health centre for the settlement people, under their guidance and supervision Phendeyling Primary Health Centre was built and inaugurated in 1988. The health centre was set up with the primary aim to provide basic health care facilities and services to all the Tibetan people living in the settlement and also to the local villagers.

The primary health centre has an office, out patient clinic, in-patient general ward, x-ray unit, laboratory, pharmacy, ophthalmic unit, dressing room and a labor room. It also provides essential health care services like out-patient consultation services, emergency medical care services, maternal and child health care services, reproductive health and minimal initial service package services (RH/MISP), mental health care programme, immunization, antenatal checkup, tuberculosis control and treatment programme and health education.

At present, the health centre has eight staff members that include health centre in charge, medical officer, staff nurse, ophthalmic assistant, accountant, health worker, driver and a peon. The centre manages an average of fifteen patients a day and the most common health problems faced are respiratory tract infections, diarrhoea and dysentery, malaria, dermatological problem, peptic disorder, hypertension, osteoarthritis, tuberculosis and diabetes. Malarial infection has been one of the major health problems faced by the settlement people for the past few decades and all the health staff have been working relentlessly to prevent such infection.

With the guidance and support from the Department of Health, the primary health centre has been running successfully all these years and it aims to provide the best of health care services and facilities in future also.

New Appointments

Ms. Mona Gurung has been appointed as staff nurse on contract for one year at Tashi Palkheil primary health centre, Nepal w.e.f 26.02.2006

Mr. Konchok Rigsang has been appointed as sweeper on contract for one year at the Department, Dharamsala w.e.f 01.01.06

Ms. Lobsang Lhamo has been appointed as sweeper on contract for one year at the Department, Dharamsala w.e.f 01.01.06

Ms. Saramma has been appointed as sweeper on contract for one year at Doeguling Tibetan Resettlement Hospital, Mundgod w.e.f 01.01.06

Resignations

Ms. Pema Tashi, Office Assistant at the Department resigned from service w.e.f 08.02.06

Mr. Tenpa T.K Executive Secretary at Doeguling Tibetan Resettlement Hospital, Mundgod resigned from service w.e.f 06.03.06