Greater awareness is key to solving problems

Last month, I was assigned to Kongpo'gyada county, Tibet autonomous region, on a two-day medical assistance program. It was the first time I had traveled to Tibet as a volunteer doctor, but it was easy to identify the most common illnesses just by observing people.

The so-called plateau redness - the Tibetans' rosy cheeks - could indicate thickening of the heart muscles as a result of long exposure to low levels of oxygen.

Also, I frequently saw adults wobble slightly while walking, as if shifting their center of weight from one side to the other, which suggested severe pelvic arthritis.