TIBETAN HEALTH OCTOBER 2012-MARCH 2013 Health Kalon, Dr. Tsering Wangchuk meets Dr. Kiyohiro Maruki (President), Dr. Tsewang Nishikura and other members of Saitama Medical University in Tokyo along with Mr. Lhakpa Tshoko, Representative and his staff during his first official visit to Japan in March 2013 Department of Health Tibetan Voluntary Health Association, CTA Contents Networking South Asia International Fundraisers 1 Health Kalon Inaugurates Website of Ngoenga School 1 Reviewing Health Needs in Remote Settlements 1 HIV & AIDS Counsellors’ Training 1 Advisor: Substance Abuse Workshop-cum-Review Meeting 2 World AIDS Day 2 Kalon Dr. Tsering Wangchuk Sec. Sonam Choephel Shosur HIV/AIDS Film “ Breaking the Silence” 2 HIV/AIDS Awareness Month 3 Board of Editor: Health Dept. Holds Workshop on HIV/AIDS in Mysore 3 Emergency can occur Anytime, Enroll in TMS 3 Tsegyal Dranyi Awareness Campaign in Mundgod 4 Thutop Namgyal Thinley Palmo TMS Workshop-cum-Review Meeting 4 Tashi Yangzom Amendment of TMS Guidelines 4 Malteser International Evaluates Tibetan Medicare System 4 Compiled, Layout & Designed: Thousand Avail Mobile Health Education in Doon Valley 5 Training on Clinical Management of MDR-TB 5 Tashi Yangzom TB Dealing staff visits Tibetan Settlement in South India 5 TB Database Refresher Training 6 Basketball Tournament on world TB Day 6 Published by: Health Kalon Meets Head of Indian Govt.Central TB Division 6 Department of Health, The MBBS Student Sign Revised Bond 6 Tibetan Voluntary Health Association, Monitoring and Evaluation Training in Jaipur 7 Central Tibetan Administra- Clinical Training in Taiwan 7 tion, CTA International Tropical Course Training in Vellore 7 Safe Delivery Practise Training at Behrampur Christian Hospital 8 Health Education Events held in Various Settlements 8 The Secretary Department of Health Water & Sanitation Project 12 CTA, Gangchen Kyishong Staff update of DoH 12 Dharamsla, Distt. Kangra List of Donor 14 HP 176215, INDIA How You Can Help Tibetan Health Department 16 Networking South Asian International Fundrais- ers Health Kalon Dr. Tsering Wangchuk attended the South Asian International Fundraising Work- shop (SARFW) in Delhi from 28 to 30 November 2012. The event provided an opportunity to learn from and network with leading fundraisers and representatives of funding agencies and founda- tions. Health Kalon Inaugurates Website of Ngoenga School Norbuling, Bona, Kopu, Podung Basti, Behari Basti, Lali Basti, A.L.C line and P.I.Line. During this visit, Kalon Dr. Tsering- Wangchuk also checked 70 patients of various illnesses, gave public talks in all three settle- ments, and visited schools and Mentsee-Khang clinics. He met with the members of the local Tibetan health committee and discussed ongoing health programs and policies, especially the TMS scheme. He also visited both Indian government and private hospitals located near the settlements and assessed their benefit to the Tibetan people. He visited the homes of destitute families and Commemorating the International Day of Per- enquired about their current condition and prob- sons with Disabilities on 3 December 2012 at lems. Mrs. Kalsang Chodoen, staff nurse in Miao the Ngoenga School for Tibetan Children with settlement, promoted women’s health awareness Special Needs, the Health Kalon inaugurated the among the local Tibetan women at Tuting during first official website of the school (www.ngoeng- his visit. aschool.org). A whole host of local Tibetan digni- taries attended the ceremony in which the Health HIV/AIDS Counsellors’ Training Kalon also presented a new motor wheelchair to Tenzin Khedup, a student of Ngoenga school. The In association with the Christian Medical Col- wheel chair was sponsored by Aide Enfance Ti- lege, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, and with support from betaine, France, through French physiotherapist Norwegian Church Aid, the Health Department Nathalie Dalmayiac who has been volunteering organized HIV/AIDS counseling training from at Ngoenga school. 22 to 26 October 2012. The training was attended by 15 participants, which included staff members Reviewing Health Needs in Remote Settlements of hospitals/health centers run by the Depart- ment, as well as those from the Mentsee-Khang The Health Kalon visited from 15 to 28 Febru- ary 2013 three remote Tibetan settlements, viz. Tuting, Tezu and Miao. The visit mainly focused on reviewing and assessing the current status of public health in these remote settlements located in the north-eastern region of India. During this visit, the Kalon witnessed first-hand the impact of Department’s various health programs for the wellbeing of scattered Tibetan communities liv- ing in and around Tuting, which includes Gelling, Page 1 and NGOs. The main aim of this training was to upgrade their knowledge on counseling tech- niques in dealing with HIV/AIDS patients. Some of the topics covered in this training were pre- and post-test counseling, values and attitudes of a counselor, stages and process of counseling, methods of dealing with psychological problems of HIV/AIDS patients, nutrition, etc. The train- ing resource persons were Mr. Dilip Mathai, Dr. Latiff Rajesh Johnson, Mr. J. Jacob, Mr. R. Gov- indan and Mr. Peace Clarance J. from Christian Medical College, Vellore. the disease. Since most of the people were not in the settlement due to winter business, the talks Substance Abuse Workshop-cum-Review Meet- were conducted with participation of school chil- ing dren. In some places, school themselves observed the day by giving talks, distributing badges and organising dramas, drawing and essay competi- tions on the theme “Getting to Zero, zero new infection, zero discrimination, zero AIDS related death”. During the World AIDS Day function held at Dekyiling settlement, Health Kalon Dr. Tsering Wangchuk and Ms. Sofia, director of SOIR-IM, Rajpur jointly inaugurated the new film on HIV/ AIDS “Breaking the Silence- towards Zero HIV community”. In Dharamshala, the Department’s Pub- The Health Department organized a substance lic Health Program Head Mrs. Trinley Palmo, abuse review meeting and workshop from 7 to 9 dealing staff Mr. Tenzin Jinpa, HIS staff Ten- November 2012 at Tibetan Day School, Majnu- zin Sonam and Volunteer Nurse Ms. Tenzin Ka-Tilla, Delhi with financial support from Nor- Yangchen visited Sherab Gatsel Lobling School wegian Church Aid. The main aim of this meeting and Central Tibetan University, Sarah. Introduc- was to discuss and share reports on the measures tion on importance of the day and transmission undertaken by the schools to prevent substance of HIV, signs and symptoms and HIV testing and abuse among their students. The 38 participants quiz on basics of HIV/AIDS were covered during of this workshop came from 17 schools, which the talk. included rectors, nurses, counselors and students of the schools, as well as some staff members of HIV/AIDS Film” Breaking the Silence” the Department. The resource persons were Mrs. Trinley Palmo, MPH, Department of Health, A documentary film on HIV/AIDS titled “Break- CTA; Dr. Pallav Bonerjee, Consultant Clinical ing the Silence towards zero HIV Community” Psychologist, VIMHANS; and Dr. Gagandeep was made in collaboration with Creative Yak Kaur, Clinical Psychologist, UPS. Topics covered were introduction to addiction, management and recovery process, concept of co-morbidity, pub- lic health approach to the prevention of substance abuse at the school level. World AIDS Day World AIDS Day 1 December 2012 was observed in all Tibetan settlements to raise awareness about Page 2 Films, New Tibetan Colony, Majnu-ka-Tilla, Delhi. The film was successfully completed and released by Health Secretary Sonam Choephel Shosur at the Kashag Hall in Dharamsala on World AIDS Day through a press conference in the presence of staff members of Health Depart- ment and Creative Yak Film. This film was an effort by the Health Department to sensitize and educate people on how we can protect ourselves from HIV/AIDS. This film was made with finan- cial support from SOIR-IM, Sweden. to 14 March 2013. The workshop was conducted in collabo- HIV/AIDS Awareness Month ration with Asha Kiran Hospital, a charitable hos- pital in Mysore providing specialised HIV/AIDS The Department carried out HIV/AIDS aware- care and services. A total of about 15 partici- ness campaign throughout the month of Decem- pants, including 9 HIV/AIDs patient and 6 staff ber 2012. Since the target group selected was members from health centers of Department in young people who are away from settlements for southern Tibetan settlements. The resource per- sweater-selling, the awareness talks were there- sons included medical officers and psychologists fore conducted at major Tibetan sweater-selling from Asha Kiran Hospital. It was facilitated by cities mentioned below through hospitals/health Mr. Tenzin Jinpa, HIV/AIDS coordinator of the centers. During this campaign talk on basic of Department. HIV/AIDS, new film was screen, HIV prevention This workshop aimed to promote collec- message badges and pamphlets were distributed tive discussion among the HIV patients about to the public. their experiences and problems. Additionally, specialised counseling and clinical guidance were Hospitals/ Health Tibetan Sweater provided for better management of their condi- S.No tions. Centers Selling Place DTR Hospital, 1 Pune Mundgod Emergency Can Occur Anytime, Enroll in Ti- DVT Hospital, Rameshwaram betan Medicare System 2 Kollegal and Ooty Many Tibetans have experienced the benefits Phende Hospital, 3 Hyderabad of the Tibetan Medicare System (TMS) which Hunsur was launched on 1 April 2012. To start a sec- Guntur, Vijay- Menlha Hospital, ond phase of enrollment, following important 4 wada, Vishakapat- Odisha points were circulated: nam, Behrampur 1. Join in awareness campaigns of the TMS 5 Miao Health center Dimapur organized by the office of the Settlement Norgyeling Health officer or Hospitals. 6 Nagpur Centre, Bhandhara 2. Enrollment period is from 1 February to 7 TPHCC, Mainpat Jabalpur 31 March every year and register in con- cerned Settlement or Hospital office.