This simple method has helped farmers and herds-men living in Zhazong Town-ship of Tingri County in Tibet Autonomous Region to pre-vent and treat the common affliction.

Zhoinqung is one of several hundred people helping improve the living conditions of Tibetans through a welfare program, which aims to improve medical services and sanitation in the four counties of Tingri, Nyalam, Gyirong and Dinggye in the Mount Qomolangma Nature Reserve, where more than 86,000 farmers and herdsmen live.

The program, jointly sponsored by the local government and a United States foundation, was launched in 1994.

According to an agreement, the Mount Qomolangma Nature Reserve Administration is responsible for carrying out set programs and establishing the service system, while the foundation, called Future Generations, provides funds and expert consultations.

After receiving training, people like Zhoinqung are responsible for helping locals improve their awareness of environmental protection and teaching them knowledge and skills that can lead them on the road to prosperity.

Most of the venues for training are in the Mount Qomolangma Nature Res-erve. Courses are arranged in accordance with the actual conditions in the area.

Currently, the training courses cover subjects of public health, natural environment protection, skills for making money, ecology-friendly tourism services and improvement of housing conditions.

Many trained people like Zhoinqung can be found in the grazing area, the farmland and on the road to tourist attractions, providing various services to tourists from across the world. They also teach local people how to protect the environment.

Yan Yinliang, an official with the Mount Qomolangma Nature Reserve Administration, said the program had trained more than 580 people.

A total of 223, including Zhoinqung, have been named "Pandeba," which means rural welfare worker in Tibetan. These people shoulder the responsibility of carrying out more than 90 percent of the work related to grassroots medical and health care services.

(eastday.com October 9, 2002)