(The MTK’s health services reach the far-flung remote regions of Tuting where health issue remains top priority. With it the institute established its 48th branch clinic with provision of free healthcare facility especially to the poor & needy patients.)

Tuting lies at the north of Upper Siang District of Arunachal Pradesh. It is a very remote area bordering Tibet, inhabited by local tribesmen and Tibetans. There are more than 1,500 registered Tibetan refugees settled in the regions apart from those Tibetans who arrived in the area before 1959 who now have citizenship of India are divided amongst 17 different villages, 13 villages scattered and 4 within the Tuting area.

His Holiness the Dalai Lama made his maiden visit to the area in mid December 2003. The Tibetan inhabitants spearheaded by the Khenpo of Ngesang Do-ngak Jangchub Dhargyeling monastery, on the issue of inaccessibility of health care facility, requested His Holiness for an establishment of a Tibetan medical clinic in the region to cater to the dire needs of both the communities. His Holiness, on the importance of health issue, welcomed their proposal and agreed to comply with their basic need for a health care facility.

The tribesmen and the Tibetan settlers, prior to the Chinese invasion of Tibet in 1959, depend all their basic needs on Tibet and therefore, they also believe strongly on the efficacy of Tibetan medicine too.

The Men-Tsee-Khang deputed Dr Damchoe Ramjor on the 1st April 2004. He was entrusted with the responsibility to workout feasibility and then to set up a clinic there in consultation with the Khenpo who took the sole responsibility in organizing a clinic and accommodation to our staff in the area. The clinic was later officially opened on 1 June 2004.

Most of the Tibetan and the tribesmen communities still continue to live under the harsh reality of nature in the deep mountainous forests. The nearest villages are situated at the radius of one day’s walk from each other. Since there aren’t any other means of infrastructure available, the farthest village has to be reached by foot, situated within a distance of three day’s walk. They entirely depend their livelihood on the mercy of the Mother Nature. Tomatoes, Onions and Potatoes are only vegetables available in the villages’ shops with rates quite high for the poor family to afford. Most of the people still use Pig’s fat as a vegetable cooking oil. The tribesmen basically feed on whatever they get hold of during their day’s hunt in the jungle. The Tibetans are not used to hunting in the jungle and therefore, they depend on whatever they could manage out of the shifting cultivation and the procurement made from the nearest town.

For better understanding and relationship between the two communities, the local Tibetan villages’ heads collectively sent a letter to MTK requesting rebate on medications, especially to the poor & needy non-Tibetan-refugees in the area. This requisition was forwarded to the Governing Body (GB) meeting of the MTK. The GB members welcomed the proposal and advised the MTK administration to provide necessary charity work to them for the period of 3 years. The case will be scrutinized once again after the allocated period.

The objective of this clinic is to provide medical consultation without doing discretion to either of the communities. It is also the farsighted vision of the Men-Tsee-Khang to control the death rate of people, mainly die due to lack of healthcare facility. To provide free and concession medications to poor & needy, elderly and disabled people. Yet nominal of Rs. 10 is charged for registration fees.

At the moment our doctor temporarily consults patients in a local official’s residence. The Official has generously allowed using his residence on a personal humanitarian ground. The doctor is assisted by a Dispenser-cum-Accountant.

The clinic also holds medical camps to all the surrounding villages accessed only by foot.

The health care and sanitation are the two main issues that requires special attention, and the MTK is there to adderess these problems in the region.