Tibetan Official Meets Australian GuestA senior Tibetan official said here Monday that dramatic changes have taken place in the medical care and sanitation field in Tibet, thanks to the importance attached to it by the central government.During a meeting with Australian Health and Aged Care Minister Michael Wooldridge, vice-chairwoman of the People's Government of the Tibet Autonomous Region Cering Zhoigar, who has over 30 years of experience in the local medical and sanitation sector, expounded on the changes, of which she was proud to be a witness. According to her, there were only two hospitals in Tibet before the region's peaceful liberation in 1950, and the few doctors served only the ruling class and not the ordinary people. However, today, a medicare network consisting of more than 1, 200 hospitals and staffed by over 10,300 medical professionals has been built in the region. The life expectancy of the local people has been lengthened to 65 years, from 36 before the liberation. Cering Zhoigar admits that the further development of medical care in Tibet needs financial support. She thanked the Australian government for its assistance, and expressed the hope that such aid would continue. Wooldridge and his party arrived in Lhasa Sunday. They are currently on an inspection tour of a cooperative project aimed at eliminating iodine-deficiency diseases. |
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