For eight days prior to the visit, Ngawang Choephel had been in hospital in Chengdu where he reportedly received diagnosis and treatment for a number of ailments. He told his mother that he had written a petition and been on hunger strike at Powo Tramo to protest at not receiving adequate medical care. His transfer to Chengdu may have been to provide access to better medical facilities. However, prison conditions throughout Tibet are known to be very poor. Prisoners receive inadequate food of a very poor standard.
Prisons have poor sanitation and many prisoners suffer long-term health problems as a result.
Few prisoners in Tibet escape ill-treatment and torture, particularly during the early stages of custody and initial interrogation. Prisoners who are perceived as un-cooperative during interrogation may be treated even more harshly. Ngawang Choephel indicated that his treatment in Powo Tramo has been acceptable and was an improvement on the treatment he had received in the past. This may suggest that he suffered ill-treatment while detained at the Nyari detention centre in Shigatse where he was initially imprisoned. Ngawang Choephel reportedly told his mother not to worry about him and asked her to thank all his friends around the world who had taken an interest in his case and who had helped his mother.