Many Monks, Nuns and the lay Tibetan community succumb to minor ailments including sores that won’t heal, ear and throat infections, tinea and coughs.

Unfortunately, these minor ailments will often develop into more serious diseases, and may require operations, simply because basic medical supplies are not available. Tuberculosis is still a major problem, as well as kidney and lung disease, septic sores and many more deadly ailments that are a daily hazard of living in poverty.

Some operations are extremely primitive, and are performed under archaic conditions and with obsolete implements, leaving many monks with major deformities.

How the Fund Works

Donations to the Emergency Medical Fund (EMF) are used at the discretion of Tibetan Sponsorship Scheme’s Founder’s representative, Tenzin Dhargye (Co-ordinator of the scheme) and the scheme’s Administrator in Sera Monastery, India.

The Founder of this scheme, Kyabje Khensur Rinpoche, using donations to EMF, gave Rupees 50,000 to the Sera Je Health Care Committee for improvements to the water supply. He also gave money from the Emergency Medical Fund for a variety of medical purposes, including wheelchairs, walking sticks, crutches, medicines etc. — but often to pay for stays in hospital or doctors visits.