Poor children in Tibet get health boost from govt

Vitamin supplements may be mundane for many, but for one mother in a remote rural area of the Tibet autonomous region, they're closer to a miracle.

Migmar Drolma believes they have contributed to the healthy growth of her son, 3-year-old Tenzin Phuntsok, who was underweight and not thriving, mostly because of the limited, one-dimensional diet that is common among people in rural Tibet. It consists mainly of high-protein foods such as yak meat, cheese and barley, a regimen that lacks vitamins and other essentials for the body.

The nutritional value of the dominant foods given to many infants in rural areas of Tibet is simply insufficient, said Tsering Drolkar, an official of the regional health commission. "Lack of variety in the diet can lead to malnutrition, anemia, slow growth and stunted development in children," she told Tibetan media recently.

Migmar Drolma's family gets by financially, thanks to nationwide poverty relief efforts, but there's no money to spare for health supplements. Those are a luxury that have been out of reach until now. The government has stepped in for the poor, and it's making a difference for children on the edge.

To boost the health of Tibet's children, especially those in rural areas, the commission began distributing nutritional supplements in some areas in 2013.

By 2016, all 74 counties and districts of Tibet were covered by the program. As a result, the lives of the poorest infants and young children improved.

This year, the commission incorporated the nutrition improvement project into the work of poverty relief and rural revitalization.

As of the end of July, more than 89,000 children 6 months to 36 months old were provided with nutrition packages from the beginning of the year－an effective rate of 74 percent, local media reported.

Migmar Drolma's son has been receiving the free nutrition packages from the township clinic every month.

"It may not taste as good as candy, and children may not like it, but it supports their health," Migmar Drolma said.

"I am grateful," she said. "He has met the weight requirements for his age now."

Tsering Drolkar said: "At first, the project involved infants between 6 and 24 months, but since 2019 the range has been expanded to other malnourished children.

"The nutrition packages contain minerals, vitamins and proteins that can provide a variety of trace elements needed by infants and young children to improve immunity, promote intelligence and foster growth and development."

Chungla, a doctor at the Tsalgongthang Township Clinic in Lhasa, said nutritional packages are handed out when children come to the clinic for health checks and get vaccinations. Her clinic distributed 500 of them as of September.

"A few parents said their kids got diarrhea, but we found later this was caused by improper preparation. Most parents like the nutrition," Chungla said.

"When the nutrition powder is mixed with water, it's better to make it stickier, so things like diarrhea are avoided," she said. "Parents need to follow the instructions."

Yu Tao, chief physician at Tibet Maternity and Children's Hospital, which is affiliated with Sichuan University, said the supplements can help avoid rickets and low iron.

"It is particularly helpful for infants with unbalanced nutrition," Yu said.