It’s good to be home, says Kalon Takla

Wednesday, 30 May 2007, 11:43 a.m.

Kalon Kesang Yangkee Takla welcomed by Health Secretary Tenpa C. Samkhar (Photo Sangay Kep)

Dharamshala: “It feels like I am home after 18 long years,” the new Health Kalon said, at a cozy welcome reception hosted by the Health Department at the Gangkyi cafeteria this morning.

Kalon Kesang Yangkee Takla was the secretary of the Health Department, when it was first established in December 1983 as an apex body for managing a holistic health care system for the Tibetans in exile.

“The Department since then has witnessed such profound growth that I may need to catch up on many things,” Mrs Takla added.

(Photo Sangay Kep)

Despite her induction into the 13th Kashag, until last month, Mrs Takla continued to serve as the Representative of His Holiness the Dalai Lama to Northern Europe.

The Health Department’s job is not just to hand out medicines to the diseased; it also involves a lot of preventive and promotive health care, she said.

Besides, from a religious ground, there is also an altruistic dimension to providing care to the diseased, she added.

Speaking at the reception, Health Secretary Tenpa C. Samkhar said that the Kalon’s arrival at a time when the Department is going through a crunch time due to a high attrition rate would give a tremendous boost to its staff.

Through a wide network of 8 hospitals and 40-odd health centres spread across India and Nepal, with a combined staff of nearly 300 people, the Department runs a holistic care system.

Mr. Samkhar also reminded the staff that the hard work of just the Kalon and the Secretary will not suffice for the Department to produce a grand success.

“The speed of the army is the speed of its last soldier,” Mr Samkhar quoted Napoleon, in his usual good humor.