Men-Tsee-Khang Newsletter, Vol XIII No. 2-3 Autumn - Winter 2005

Changthang mobile clinic receives permanent doctor
Owing to a need of the administration and the jurisdiction of the Changthang (steppe) region, MTK appointed Dr Sonam Dekyi to a permanent staff of the institute. She was earlier working on the same project on contract basis. She hails from Ladakh itself and therefore, doesn’t face problem in travelling through the steppes during mobile clinics. Moreover, the past three-year contract track record shows excellent achievement and received admiration and support from both the Cultural Center director and the Choglamsar Medical Officer who supported her induction to the permanent staff of the Men-Tsee-Khang.

We wish her continuation of same effort in the future for the benefit of Changthang people.

MTK appoints two new masters of Science

In need to practice GMP and to analyze presence of heavy metals and micro-organism in the ingredients and its products, the MTK appointed two new masters of Science: Tenzin Jigme and Tenzin Norlha to work hand-in-hand with other science graduates of the institute, on 1 November 2005. They have started their initial works on the Good Manufacturing Process (GMP) and Microbial testing on medicines.

Ladakh Budh Vihar receives new MTK clinic

With request from the Director (Late) Venerable Dawa Jigmet Lama of the Ladakh Buddhist Vihara (LBV), the Men-Tsee-Khang opened a branch clinic within the premises of the LBV on 2 December 2005.

  The Representative Officer Kasur Tenpa Tsering of The Bureau Office, Delhi, was the guest of honour who also inaugurated the clinic. In his speech on this august gathering, Mr. Tenpa Tsering spoke on the work of the Men-Tsee-Khang: it’s helpfulness and the prospect of Tibetan medicine globally.

Resignation of staff doctors
It is indeed a sad feeling to know that Dr Kunga Wangdue, Dr Norbu Tsering, Dr Yangchen Dolker, and Dr Tenzin Nyima who studied at the Men-Tsee-Khang for 6-years and had experiences of working in various branch clinics of the Men-Tsee-Khang resigned from the institute on personal grounds.
The Branch Director Mr. Tsering Dorjee when contacted said, “The Men-Tsee-Khang bears no responsibility on their personal endeavour henceforth”.
The administration wishes them very best in their future course of action.

Appointments
The Men-Tsee-Khang appointed Mr. Tenzin Dorjee as the director of the Medicine Sales & Despatch Department w.e.f. 25 June 2005. He earlier worked as an administrative director of the Cultural Center, Ladakh. Dr Kunchok Tsering has been appointed the new incumbent director of the Cultural Center.
The administration wishes both of them successful tenures in their respective responsibilities.

College excursion to Manali
Every year the medical students go to Manali and adjacent areas for a field trip to identify medicinal plants grown in Mahri-la, Rothang and Khog-sar of the upper Himalayan regions.
This year too, the students accompanied by Dr Tenpa Choephel, Dr Tsering Tharchin, Dr Lobsang Soepa & Dr Leksang, two doctors each respectively from college & pharmacy along with few staff left Manali from 4-28 August.
The students were introduced 177 herbs for identification and later all of them sat for medicinal herb identification test. The results were announced during a special ceremony called Thon-sKor mZhes-sGo (convocation day of medicinal herb identification test).
The excursion was reported to have gone well and the students were also able to collect many samples of herbs for cultivation trial.
The Men-Tsee-Khang thanks all the concerned officers of forestry department and especially to the Gonpa and their management.

10-day Tibetan medical course held in Ladakh
A 10-day course in English on Tibetan medicine was held at the Cultural Centre, Leh, Ladakh from 21 – 31 August.
Five participants from USA, Germany and France took part in the course. Menrampa Pema Dorjee, Menrampa Tsering Dorjee and Kachupa Tenzin Namdul were the three resource persons.
Menrampa Namgyal Tsering, Principal of Tibetan Medical & Astro. College, inaugurated the 10-day course with brief opening speech and later gave initial lecture on Tibetan medicine to the course attendees on 20 August.
During this 10-day course the three resource persons were able to present an overall structure of Tibetan medicine from disease, diagnosis, and treatment procedures.
The course attendees—in their questionnaire forms—mentioned their happiness on having had opportunity to attend the course and also delightfully expressed their willingness to participate in follow-up course (s), if any.
It is reported that the course went very well despite low turnouts of course attendees. Upon contacting the Deputy Director on the low turnouts, he too shares a notion similar to the course attendees that it could be possibly because of the geographical location; Ladakh being situated far-flung and therefore, many people seem to have dropped the idea to attend the course. Moreover, the time limitation and the coverage of advertisement too played their role in the low turnouts this time. He further concludes with a notion that in the future such courses should be held probably here in Dharamsala.

21 staff retires; MTK throws farewell party
The Men-Tsee-Khang adminis-tration threw a farewell tea party to a first-ever-group of 21 retiring staff on the 22 July 2005 here at the staff mess amid heavy downpour of rains.
This was the first large retirement after amendments of the Men-Tsee-Khang rules and regulations book. Only handfuls of staff retired in the past few years.
On behalf of the administration, the Director Dr Dawa and the Deputy Director Dr Tsewang Tamdin assured to look into the feasibilities to fulfill requirements of the retiring staff. Dr Lhawang representing the retiring staff thanked the administration’s concern and assurances. The Registrar Mr. Tsering Phuntsok and all the departmental heads attended the gathering too.
It seems too early for some to retire but others seem quite happy upon hearing their retirements. However, the atmosphere wore a mixed feeling, yet very contented and satisfied ones. For it is not an easy task to serve one particular institute for more than 20 to 30 years.
The Men-Tsee-Khang wishes all the retiring staff very healthy and positive life ahead.

MTK celebrates annual picnic with gusto
The Men-Tsee-Khang (MTK) community here in Dharamsala celebrated its annual picnic on 15 & 16 October. The two-day annual picnic saw the MTK staff engrossed in fun & frolic, forgetting all their mundane works and household chores.
Most of the staffs were busy playing cards while others play games such as table tennis. Very few kept their spirit alive in burning midnight lamp with traditional Tibetan Nangma songs and dances to the tunes of dra-nyen (traditional Tibetan guitar).
The party this year wore bit deserted look. Since most of the doctors from the branch clinics were missing this time. Usually the picnic is held right after the founding anniversary in the month of March. Foreseeing scarcity in vegetables in March, the party is postponed till October. It is now scheduled to take place in the month of September or October every year from now.
From adults to the kids, everybody has a blast.

New doctor for NSTG –Holland
The Men-Tsee-Khang deputes a residential doctor of NSTG for three-year term. Dr Dorjee Tseten finished his three-year term in November 2005 and he was supposed to report back thereafter. Instead he took leave for a year. Dr Tenzin Kyipa, a resident doctor of Bylakupee relieved him for another three-year term w.e.f. 1 November.

Good wishes to both of them.