Tibetans’ mindset changed when getting sick

In the past, farmers and herdsmen would not come straight to the hospital when they became ill. Instead, they would choose to visit monks to check the calendar and see whether it was suitable for them to visit doctors. As a result, ailment could become serious illnesses and even lead to death due to delayed treatment.

When the first modern hospital was built in Tibet in the last century, people found it difficult to adjust from "visiting monks" to "visiting hospitals".

Over the past 50 years, the Tibetan medical and health services have vigorously developed. The fundamental structure is designed with Lhasa as the center of Tibet’s urban and regional medical and health service network. Tibetan health and family planning services have completely transformed from weak to strong and from traditional to modern.

"Now the hospital treats more and more patients - and not just common people, even monks. When monks are sick, they now prefer to go to the hospital first for treatment," said Hu Xuejun, director of the Tibet Autonomous Region People’s Hospital. "At the recently concluded training course for high-level Buddhist monks and nuns, they requested more doctors continue to dedicate time to health education and training."

In recent years, Tibet has implemented major health projects benefiting urban and rural residents. Monks and nuns are now given three free health assessments a year, and 98.9 percent of cases were recorded in their health documents. In 2014, about 20 percent of the patients at the People’s Hospital are farmers and herdsmen from Chamdo, Nagqu and other prefectures. When these patients became sick in the past, they would not afford to visit hospitals. But now farmers and herdsmen seek hospital services and receive full medical examinations.

Improved maternal and child healthcare

Last March, in Lhasa’s Maizhongkungar County a villager named Odser was undergoing difficult childbirth, putting both the mother and the baby at fatal risk. The mother was rushed to the county hospital for a caesarean operation, which saved both the mother and child.

In Tibet’s rural areas, women used to give birth to children in simple and crude conditions where there was poor sanitation. Sometimes women would even deliver babies in bullpens. Situations like that of Odser would only be met with chanting of prayers, leading to high maternal and infant mortality rates. Now more and more people like Odser can receive modern medical assistance when experiencing threatening medical problems.

Lu Yanchao, Tibet Regional Party Secretary of Public Health Department said, "Currently Tibetan hospitals have opened green channels for pregnant women in childbirth, which allows them to give birth at hospitals free of charge. Also, if pregnant woman’s family helps take her to the hospital, the hospital will give an award for hospital costs to the family."

In 2014, Tibet invested 140 million yuan in the capacity building of maternal and child health care as well as pediatric health care projects at the county level. Grass-roots levels saw a gradual increase of women and child health care capabilities. Since the peaceful liberation of Tibet, maternal and infant mortality rates have decreased from 5,000 deaths per 100,000 people and 43 percent to 108.86 deaths per 100,000 people and 1.68 percent. The current hospital delivery rate is now more than 85 percent.

Better health conditions

Continuous reform of medical care has benefitted Tibetan citizens tremendously by resulting in effective control of infectious and endemic diseases. Thus, Tibet’s life expectancy per capita continues to rise. Statistical data shows that average life expectancy in Tibet has increased from 35.5 years in the past to 68.2 years today. The total population has also increased from 1.14 million in the past to 3.17 million today.

Lhamo Tsering is currently being piloted in Tibet to promote "treatment first, settlement after". In 2013, Tibet’s implemented the "treatment first, settlement after" program. All farmers and herdsmen who participated in the new rural cooperative could enjoy excellent treatment. Even low-income farmers and herdsmen with serious illnesses could receive immediate medical treatment now available to the masses with the "treatment first, settlement after" program.

Currently, The Tibet Center for Disease Control and Prevention diagnosis and treatment grading system shows steady progress throughout the entire Tibetan Autonomous Region. In the near future, the goal that "minor illnesses will be treated within counties, and serious illnesses will be cured within the region" will become a reality on the snow-covered plateau.