The Orientation Workshop on the Comprehensive Community Outreach & Coordinated Care (CCOCC) Program to the Settlement Officers and DoHe Executive Secretaries is currently in session from 8 to 9 October at the Central Tibetan Administration.
Organised by the Department of Health, CTA, the workshop is being attended by 45 settlement officers and seven executives from the DoHe primary health centers.
Secretary Palden Dhondup, Department of Health, CTA was the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony. In his key remarks, Secretary Palden Dhondup stated that the Department of Health has two main approaches to health within settlements: prevention and treatment. Prevention in relation to awareness programs, gym facilities, and yoga sessions, and treatment in relation to the health facilities and health care workers. He stated that the Department of Health is working hard towards strengthening these areas of health within settlements.
He stressed the fact that settlement officers, as leaders, play a vital role in promoting health and wellness in their respective communities. “Settlement officers do not just represent the Department of Home, they represent every department in the Central Tibetan Administration,” said the Health Secretary.
This was followed by a presentation on the current status of Tuberculosis (TB), Hepatitis B, and Health Information System (HIS) in Tibetan community by Dr Lobsang Tsering, the Tibetan Voluntary Health Association (TVHA) consultant. He stated that between 2012-2018, cases of TB has decreased, however, that does not mean that it should not be paid proper attention.
Based on a joint study done by the Department of Health, CTA and Johns Hopkins University, Bylakuppe Tibetan settlement was found to have 8% prevalence rate, which is considered high according to the World Health Organization.
He emphasized the best prevention method for Hepatitis B are the three doses of the Hepatitis vaccine for children.
The Orientation Workshop on the CCOCC Program to the Settlement Officers and DoHe Executive Secretaries will continue until 9 October.
The workshop is funded by USAID.
