By – Shyamal Sinha
President Dr Lobsang Sangay, Central Tibetan Administration inaugurated a 3-day workshop on the Tibetan Medicare System (TMS), a social health insurance programme of the Department of Health, seeking to improve public health and well-being of the Tibetan community in-exile through access to quality secondary and tertiary healthcare.
At least 48 Tibetan medical officers, doctors, health workers from 33 different settlements are participating in the 3-day meeting cum workshop, being held at the Tibetan Reception Centre.
In his inaugural remarks, President Dr Lobsang Sangay welcomed the growing trust and participation of public in the Medicare System over the last six years.
Recalling the momentous awarding of Certificate of Appreciation upon the TMS team of Health department, by the USAID, President Dr Sangay congratulated the medical officers and health staff of the various Tibetan settlements, who have been incremental to the success of TMS.
“Department of Health is the first ever CTA body to receive such a letter of appreciation from a foreign government organisation in the 14th as well as 15th Kashag. This Certificate is a recognition of hard work and commitment of the staff of the Central Tibetan Administration particularly the health department, towards community and health service,” he said.
Dr Sangay encouraged the heath staff, particularly those directly dealing with the Medicare Programme, to provide quality and compassionate guidance to members/claimants of TMS, and to ensure that they receive an excellent experience of care from the TMS.”
Kalon Choekyong Wangchuk of the Heath department described TMS as a completely non-profit and charitable programme with welfare of the Tibetan public as its sole objective. He announced that the TMS has gained 100 more members over the year and prided the improved public awareness and support for the programme.
President Dr Sangay presented awards to medical officers of Ladakh, Miao and Mundgod Tibetan settlement for achieving highest enrollment in the Tibetan Medicare System 2017 – 18.
The three-day meeting will review the overall performance of the programme and discuss the progress of TMS over the year. The meeting will also discuss the challenges faced with regard to the implementation of the programme, and the causes for low performances in certain settlements as well as other procedures such as reimbursments, bill claiming system etc.
