The appearance of Xigaze People's Hospital, photo from CTIC.

The wards of Xigaze People's Hospital, photo from CTIC.

The pharmacy of Xigaze People's Hospital, photo from CTIC. 

The advanced medical equipments in Xigaze People's Hospital, photo from CTIC.

Since reform and opening up, medical and health conditions of herdsmen have been improved a lot with great changes in Xigaze People's Hospital.

In the past, the terrible conditions of medical treatments were bothering the herdsmen in Xigaze. Many herdsmen were scared by the far distance to hospital, the fewer expert doctors, and the expensive medical expenses.

Tubdain Dawa, director of Xigaze People's Hospital said Xigaze People's Hospital was founded in 1962 with several doctors in a shabby room. At that time, due to no medical equipments in hospital, many patients had to be transferred to the high-level hospital for better treatments. But now, Xigaze People's Hospital equipped with 60 beds and various advanced equipments could provide medical treatments for 80,000 people from 174 administrative villages in Xigaze.

Nowadays there are 68 doctors and nurses with secondary education degree and above in Xigaze People's Hospital. All the staff will be sent to TAR People's Hospital, Qingdao 303 Hospital and other units for half or one year training to make sure the illnesses can be treated effectively.

Nyima Tsering, a 68-year-old herdsman thought back to the days before the Peaceful Liberation of Tibet and said:"What a wonderful medical policy for herdsmen! Since spending 15 yuan to get a medical card, I can enjoy the policy of reimbursement of medical expenses. In the past, only aristocrats could go to hospitals set up by Indians and the British, those sick civilian had to visit Living Buddha or lamas for fortune-telling or pray in monasteries in the traditional way."

Having a maternity surgery in Xigaze People's Hospital will cost 2,000 yuan, but herdsmen just need to spend 300 yuan with 85% expenses reimbursed. 

Tubdain Dawa showed his thankfulness for the financial supports from government: "It was the supports from government that aid us to send doctors for training, bring advanced equipments for the hospital and help herdsmen get treatments easily. "