Beijing medics helping orphans, disabled children in Tibet

An estimated 150 orphans and disabled children in the Tibet autonomous region will soon receive free medical treatment, officials said on Wednesday.

A team of medical specialists from Beijing is now conducting screening work in four cities — Lhasa, the region's capital, as well as Shannan, Nyingchi and Nagqu.

They will then decide if the children, who have ailments such as heart disease and gastrointestinal disorders, will be treated in hospitals in Tibet or outside of the region.

Zhou Gengxu, a cardiac surgeon at Bayi Children's Hospital, said two children he saw would need operations to remedy congenital heart problems.

Since 2004, more than 120,000 orphans and disabled children nationwide have undergone surgeries and medical treatment with support from the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

In Tibet, over 280 children received free medical treatment and made full recoveries between 2004 and 2016.

Tharchen Tsomo, 6, an orphan from Nagqu, was diagnosed with intestinal problems and taken to neighboring Sichuan province for treatment. She is now recovering.

"This work is not one-off," said Zou Mingming, a ministry official. "We will cover more patients, and we hope all disadvantaged children in Tibet will benefit from the project."