By Tenzin Monlam
DHARAMSHALA, April 7: On the occasion of World Health Day today, Delek Hospital in collaboration with Kunphen Center and Regional Tibetan Women’s Association organized a free check up an awareness booth on ‘Beat Diabetes, this year’s theme set by World Health Organization.
Explaining the increasing number of diabetes patients in the Tibetan community, Dr. Tenzin Tsundue, a resident doctor at Delek Hospital, said, “We don’t have an exact number of patients but it is clear that comparatively diabetes patients are increasing in our community. So with this initiative, we hope to contain the rising number through awareness.”
He asserted that lack of physical exercise due to technological advancement and consumption of junk foods are common causes. As for the elderlies, he stated that daily prostrations and circumambulation (Lingkhor) routine would be sufficient exercise to keep sugar level in check and also advised them to limit their daily sugar consumptions as well.
“There are individuals in our society who think diabetes is comparatively painless. So they opt not to incur extra expenses on its treatment. However, not attending it may bring other health problems later on,” he cautioned.
Meanwhile, the free sugar and BP check-up station set up by the organizers had over 300 people to avail the facility including tourists as well.
According to World Health Organization (WHO), more than 422 million adults have diabetes and the disease has caused 1.5 million deaths. WHO’s report also suggest that 1-in-11 people today have diabetes.
Diabetes patients also have a higher chance of contracting Tuberculosis, which has been a major concern in the exile Tibetan society. According to Dr. Tsundue over 650 Tibetans suffer from TB, which is around 6 times higher than the world’s average.
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Sources said police detained Lhamo and her cousin, Tenzin Tharpa, in June on charges of sending money to family members and other Tibetans in India. According to HRW, Lhamo was in good health prior to her arrest, but when family members were summoned to the hospital, they found her badly bruised and unable to speak. There were no reported cases during the year of Tibetans self-immolating as a means of protesting against government policies, compared with one individual in 2019.