Dharamshala: Under the Department of Health’s initiative, Tibetan communities around India marked World Diabetes Day on November 14, 2023, with a specific emphasis on monasteries and nunneries. For many years, the Department has been involved in a variety of health-related initiatives. Nonetheless, the department has focused particularly on monks and nuns this time around in response to the Department of Religion and Culture’s suggestions from the 14th Tibetan Religious Conference.

Numerous activities were organised by the Department, one of which was a free random blood sugar test (RBST) that was specifically targeted at monks and nuns who were over 35 and had no history of diabetes. Awareness lectures offered by integration doctors from the allopathic and sorig disciplines. Blood sugar levels are measured by RBS tests, which aid in the diagnosis of diabetes and prediabetes. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provides funding for this programme.