Healthcare workshop for Tibetans in Dharamsala

Tibetan health workers, representatives of Tibetan settlement offices and staff from the Department of Health in-exile gathered here to attend a three-day workshop and a meeting on the Tibetan medicare system.

The aim of this workshop is to carry out awareness campaigns and let the people know the importance of good health.

Additional Secretary of Health Tsegyal Dranyi said one of the objectives of the workshop is to improve the health status of the Tibetan people.

"Main goal of the programme is to improve the health status of the Tibetan community in-exile in India. And, the Tibetan medicare system is focusing on primary, not primary sorry, but secondary and tertiary system, which is quite a problem for the middle-class families of the Tibetan exile community. So to have them, to focus (on) them, this programme was launched," said Dranyi.

The agendas for discussion during the workshop include "How to enroll for Tibetan Medicare System', "Claim Procedures and Documentation", "Management of Information System (MIS)" and "Strategic Communication" amongst others.

The participants will be discussing not only about the importance of health, but also about the prevention of diseases being better than cure and the Tibetan Medicare system as a sustainable financing source designed to serve health care needs of the entire Tibetan exile community.

Executive Secretary of the Primary Health Centre in Mio settlement of the eastern state of Arunachal Pradesh, Shri, said: "Every year, we come here and promote what are the changes required, what experience we have gained while implementation of this programme in our settlements, and what changes need to be done and what new services has to be added or what, how can we promote better services through this programme."

During the seminar, greater emphasis was laid on Tibetan settlements located in remote areas, where there is a lack of access to basic health amenities.

Organised by the Department of Health and Central Tibetan Administration in-exile, the three-day workshop ends tomorrow.