First
Conference of Sorig Practitioners held in
Dharamsala (January 2004)
Dharamsala,January
5, 2004: After months of hard work and
preparation by the Department of Health, CTA,
the first conference of Sorig (Traditional
Tibetan Medicine) Practitioners could finally
materialize. More than a hundred Tibetan
doctors of "Sowa Rigpa" have
gathered here from India and abroad at the
Gangkyi Staff Mess' conference hall for the
two-day conference of Tibetan Sorig medical
doctors.
Organized
by the Deparment of Health, the conference
formally introduced the "Exile Tibetan
Sorig Doctor's Association Act" to
participants. The Act has been passed by
the 13th Assembly of Tibetan People's Deputies
during its 5th session.
Chief
guests for the inaugural function were Mr.
Pema Jungney, Chairman of the Tibetan Assembly
and Kalon Tripa Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche.
The function began with the offering of
scarves and lighting of butter lamps by the
chief guests. Prof. Samdhong Rinpoche
expressed his appreciation over the response
from the doctors in the form of a strong
attendance at the conference. He said
that Kashag is concerned about the upliftment
of the Tibetan healing tradition. Also
present were Mr. Thupten Lungrig, Kalon for
Department of Education and Religion &
Culture and Mr. Lobsang Nyandak Zayul, Kalon
for the Department of Health and Finance and
Health Secretary Mr. Tenpa C. Samkhar.
The
Health Kalon, in his address to the gathering,
said that the Tibetan traditional healing
system is now being commercialized and that a
governing body should be set up to preserve
and promote the unique healing tradition of
Tibet.
The
other important aspect of the conference was
to elect a governing body of Medical Council,
for which the members will be three senior
doctors from the Tibetan Medical and
Astrological Institute (TMAI), four non TMAI
doctors and an allopathic doctor appointed by
the Department of Health. They will
function according to the Act passes and are
entrusted with the implementation, monitoring
and collecting suggestions to bring positive
changes for the benefit of Tibetan "Sowa
Rigpa" tradition.
Mr.
Tenpa C. Samkhar, Health Secretary, in his
speech said that everyone is concerned about
the deteriorating condition of the Tibetan
tradition of Sowa Rigpa and that the
council should function to "bell the
cat" so as to preserve the rich tradition
of Sowa Rigpa.
During
the meeting, participants also expressed their
opinions for future amendments and a budget
was set aside to support the working of the
medical council. the conference ended on
a happy note with a word of thanks from the
Health Secretary and a farewell dinner.
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