Background

EXILED TIBETAN COMMUNITY

One of PCT patient at her one-room simple home in Majnu Ka Tilla Tibetan colony, Delhi

Currently, many Tibetans living in exile lack adequate finances to meet their needs of daily living such as: rent, food, and transportation. Due to such financial hardship, families are often rendered helpless when a family member becomes seriously ill and succumbs to disease. Seeking treatment in a new city can be confusing, expensive, and discouraging. For those fortunate enough to be able to cover medical expenses, navigating the Indian medical system can be very complex and risky. Moreover, making appointments to see specialist doctors in the reputable government hospitals in time is often impossible. Expertise and specialised services are necessary and often crucial for patients who have been misdiagnosed and mistreated. Both Tibetans who are newcomers to India and those born in India face these issues. Yet Tibetan newcomers face the most obstacles.

For patients who manage to get appointments, the language barrier is often insurmountable. It is essential for patients to have competent help with translation. Such services enable patients to find the correct hospitals, arrive at appointments on time, and understand the diagnosis and prognosis for treatment. This reduces patients’ stress and promotes their overall well being. Additionally, further treatment is often impossible because of prolonged waiting periods, even for patients who have managed to book appointments. In particular, the situation is most difficult for Tibetan newcomers who have no family living in India, yet are in need of medical help or require the care of an attendant, a service that Mr. Wangyal has personally provided for more than four years.