Tibet Matters Annual Review: Health projects which made a real difference for Tibetan communities this year.

H-Pylori testing and health camps

H-Pylori testing

This groundbreaking project run by Tibetan Cancer Society has been visiting Tibetan settlements in north India, including remote and nomadic communities, to test people for H-Pylori, a common gut bacteria which can lead to stomach cancer if left untreated. Thanks to your support, 2,369 people have now been tested; over a thousand were found to have the bacteria present in their stomachs. This early diagnosis meant these patients were provided with the necessary medication, ensuring it doesn’t develop into a serious health condition.

Tenzin says “Especially in remote settlements there is little knowledge of this bacteria and people think they can treat cancer with health tips that aren’t going to help. This work demystifies the disease and saves lives.

Emergency medical funds in India

T. Kelsang (centre) received lung cancer treatment in Delhi thanks to the emergency medical fund

Tenzin spoke about the much-needed emergency medical funds your donations have provided at Tibetan Homes Foundation and Tibetan Women’s Centre. “There is a lack of knowledge about health avenues so people will wait until their problems get severe. Huge amount is needed to pay for the hospital so this support is really important.”

Mental health virtual sessions for young Tibetans

During the lockdowns, our youth project, Empowering the Vision, based in Delhi, has been running monthly online meetings to help young Tibetans deal with anxiety and stress during the pandemic. Tenzin says “the sessions are popular and numbers are growing, at the moment about 30 young people attend each month.

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