The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

L U D H I A N A S T O R I E S

Tests for thalassaemia before marriage
Ludhiana, September 11
Screening of all candidates for thalassaemic traits for matrimonial alliance would be of tremendous help in tackling this problem and minimising the psychological trauma of the parents of unfortunate victims of this disease.

MC begins fumigating city wards
Ludhiana, September 11
Gearing up to check the spread of malaria and dengue in the city, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, (LMC) has started fumigation operation in various areas of the city.

Health Dept denies malarial epidemic
Mandi Ahmedgarh, September 11
Even as the Government of India had declared Malaudh a sensitive area with regard to the outbreak of an epidemic, the health authorities have contradicted the reports regarding spread of malaria that could be termed epidemic. However, it has claimed that adequate steps have been taken to face any situation.

Variety in food good for health
Ludhiana, September 11
Food variety is what we choose to eat from a mixture of foods across the range of food types (fruit, cereal, dairy) as well as from within the various food types (wheat, barley, rye). Eating a wide variety of foods will ensure that you get enough of the essential nutrients and other components in your daily diet.

Problems start with tooth grinding
Ludhiana, September 11
Bruxism or tooth grinding, affecting between 10 to 50 per cent of the people in all age groups, can lead to many other complications, besides damaging the teeth, if not treated in time. The subconscious behaviour, most frequently occurring during sleep, can result in sore facial muscles, headaches, ear aches, fractured teeth and filling, hyper-sensitivity of teeth and temporo-mandibular joint damage.

Dental implants catching up
Ludhiana, September 11
A two-day workshop on dental implants, attended by 80 dentists from the region, concluded here today. The workshop was conducted by Dr Shavir Nooryezdan, founder president of the Indian Academy of Implant Dentistry. He has also designed the uniti-implant system which is being manufactured in Holland.

Dispensary inaugurated
Ludhiana, September 11
Shiromani Akali Dal President Parkash Singh Badal inaugurated Harpreet Kaur Memorial Homoeopathic Dispensary at Mohalla Kot Alamgir, Field Ganj, here today. It has been set up in memory of late Harpreet Kaur, daughter of senior journalist Manjit Singh Khalsa. A Class XI student of Guru Nanak Public School, Harpreet had died in an accident while returning from school on August 1.

Truck drivers educated on AIDS
Ludhiana, September 11
Aasra Help Aids, a voluntary body, organised an AIDS awareness programme in collaboration with Lions Club, Samrat, at the Jalandhar Bypass here recently. The passing truck drivers and cleaners, who are among the high risk group, were given tips for the prevention against the fatal disease and educative literature was distributed among them.

Lakhvinder, Naman win badminton title
Ludhiana, September 11
Lakhvinder Singh and Naman Jain proved too good for Sandep Sharma and Rajesh Grover whom they beat in straight sets to win title in the Ludhiana District Senior Men’s Doubles Badminton Championship held at Shastri Hall in Guru Nanak Stadium here today. In the final, the pair romped home victorious 15-13 and 15-8 to clinch the title.

PAU Zone boys win cricket title
Ludhiana, September 11
Shivam Passi and Yovanjit excelled with bat scoring of 42 and 44 runs, respectively, as the PAU Zone beat Gujjarwal Zone 59 runs in the final of the Ludhiana District Schools Inter-Zonal Cricket Tournament (u-14) held at Government Model Senior Secondary School here today.

Tests for thalassaemia before marriage
Kuldip Bhatia

Ludhiana, September 11
Screening of all candidates for thalassaemic traits for matrimonial alliance would be of tremendous help in tackling this problem and minimising the psychological trauma of the parents of unfortunate victims of this disease.

Dr J.G. Jolly, Emeritus Professor, Transfusion Medicine and a visiting Professor in the Department of Transfusion Medicine, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH), said here recently.

Talking to Ludhiana Tribune, Dr Jolly said advanced countries had started foetal screening for diagnosis of genetic blood disorder before birth, besides the management of the patients with the help of bone marrow transplantation.

“However, the screening of parents and unborn babies for thalassaemia in India is all the more important since the management of the patients in developing countries will remain a distant dream due to the paucity of resources.”

Narrating the agony of thalassaemic children, Dr Jolly informed that the patients from one year to 20 years of age depended primarily on regular blood transfusion to meet the deficiency of haemoglobin, the leading problem in these children. Because of the deficiency of haemoglobin and varying anaemia, resulting in low vitality and resistance to fight the diseases, the thalassaemic patients invariably fell victims to infections and associated complications, which had a direct bearing on their growth and development.

“These children have distinct thalassaemic face, boxy head, dark pigmentation and protruded abdomen as a result of enlarged spleen. In some cases, the enlargement of spleen creates physical disability to the extent of need for removal of spleen.” He said since the thalassaemic children needed to have regular transfusion of blood to ensure optimum level of haemoglobin they were exposed to a greater risk of transmissible infections. Although Chandigarh, and for that matter the department of transfusion medicine at the DMCH in Ludhiana, were unique centres, providing blood primarily from voluntary blood donors, considered the safest for transmissible infections but the situation in many other parts of the country was shocking where many of thalassemic children had contracted hepatitis B and C as well as HIV.

Dr Jolly, therefore, strongly advocated the need for screening of all children receiving regular blood transfusion for transmissible infections at least once a year. This practice would ensure their health status as far as transmissible diseases were concerned.

Dr Amarjit Kaur, Associate Professor of transfusion medicine at the DMCH, who was also present at the occasion, maintained that the blood bank in the institution was fully equipped in terms of trained medical professionals and state-of-the-art equipment to ensure supply of safe blood to thalassemic patients and other medical emergencies.

“The collection of blood from voluntary donors, storage and preparation of blood components are being organised in such a manner, which cannot only meet the local need for blood and its components but even for other medical institutions in the region,” she added.

MC begins fumigating city wards
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 11
Gearing up to check the spread of malaria and dengue in the city, the Ludhiana Municipal Corporation, (LMC) has started fumigation operation in various areas of the city.

The LMC has urged residents to inform their area councillors and bring any specific areas needing more care to their notice.

The civic body has also appealed to prevent mosquitoes, causing these diseases, from breeding in their houses or neighbourhood. The MC has asked the residents to call up at the control room (phone number: 2771499) to get their stagnant water sprayed with black oil.

The fumigation operation started on August 16 and will continue for some time.

The fumigation machines will cover select areas in morning and evening sessions starting from 7 am to 9 am and 6 pm to 8 pm.

Every Tuesday, the machines will cover ward Nos. 1 to 10 and 21 to 30 during the morning session and ward Nos. 11 to 20 and 31 to 40 in the evening session.

Ward Nos. 41 to 50 and 51 to 60 would be covered on every Wednesday in morning and evening sessions, respectively.

Ward Nos. 61 to 70 and 1 to 10 would be covered in morning and evening sessions, respectively, on every Thursday and ward Nos. 11 to 20 and 21 to 30 would be covered on Friday.

Similarly, ward Nos. 31 to 40 and 41 to 50 would be covered on Saturdays and 51 to 60 and 61 to 70 on Sundays.

Dr Jaswant Singh, Joint Commissioner, MC, said the machines would work under the supervision of area councillors, who would ensure that none of the areas is left.

Health Dept denies malarial epidemic
Our Correspondent

Mandi Ahmedgarh, September 11
Even as the Government of India had declared Malaudh a sensitive area with regard to the outbreak of an epidemic, the health authorities have contradicted the reports regarding spread of malaria that could be termed epidemic. However, it has claimed that adequate steps have been taken to face any situation.

A survey by the malaria control team of the block Health Department, Malaudh, reported stray cases of malaria at Dehlon, Kilaraipur, Jaspal Bangar, Tibba, Bhutta and Gopalpur villages. Observations revealed that in all 74 cases of malaria were detected and most of them were from migratory families. “The migratory population working on the construction of a span of Ludhiana-Khanauri Road, who are living under unhygienic conditions, fell prey to the disease, which finally spread to settled populations of this area,” the SMO claimed.

A Tribune survey of the area had earlier revealed that though there had been a steep rise in the incidence of malaria in the recent past, the problem remained unnoticed as most patients had received treatment from private doctors.

Moreover, residents pointed out that in addition to the prevalent species of anopheles mosquito, a new species of this vector seemed to have invaded their area. Unlike other mosquitoes, it left a crust at the place of piercing, it was observed.

	Variety in food good for health Ludhiana, September 11 Food variety is what we choose to eat from a mixture of foods across the range of food types (fruit, cereal, dairy) as well as from within the various food types (wheat, barley, rye). Eating a wide variety of foods will ensure that you get enough of the essential nutrients and other components in your daily diet. There is much more to food than vitamins, minerals and fibre. Nutrition scientists have identified about 12,000 phytochemicals that play a role in preventing disease. There are groups of foods, based on biological (chemical and physical) differences. These are: Animal foods — Milk, eggs and dairy products, muscle products from fish, shellfish and ruminants (cows, pigs), organ meats, such as liver and brain, poultry. Plant foods — Vegetables, fruits and cereals. Food variety is increased when you eat different types of vegetables, such as green leafy, flower, onion-like and marrow-like vegetables Legumes are also plant foods. Microbiological — Mushrooms (fungi), yeast, fermented beverages, fermented foods (soya sauce). Confectionery — Soft drinks, sugar, jams, biscuits and cakes. Food variety does not just mean choosing one food from each group. You also need to choose from a variety of foods within each group. Eating a variety of foods improves your health and reduces your risk of disease. Eating a wide range of healthy foods in small quantities is associated with protection against cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, longevity, cancer, blood sugar levels and abdominal fatness. Eating a variety of nutrient rich, low energy foods, like vegetables and fruits can help you maintain a healthy weight. Ways to increase food variety: To increase the variety of foods in your diet you could choose foods that already provide variety, such as multigrain breads and natural muesils. Adapt traditional recipes by adding extra vegetables and legumes. Prepare stir fries, casseroles, soups and salads which are an easy way to increase vegetable variety by adding lots of different ingredients, especially garlic, onion, herbs and spices. Serve accompaniments, like salads, including chutney, jams and nut spreads. Vary sandwich fillings daily and find ways to include extras, for example, add handfuls of herbs to salads and nuts in stir-fries. Nutrients that need special attention during pregnancy include iron, calcium, foliate, vitamin and protein. Drink plenty of fresh fruit juices and mixed vegetable soup in routine for immunity. For good health, consult your dietician from time to time. — Anil Dheer
	Problems start with tooth grinding Kuldip Bhatia Ludhiana, September 11 Bruxism or tooth grinding, affecting between 10 to 50 per cent of the people in all age groups, can lead to many other complications, besides damaging the teeth, if not treated in time. The subconscious behaviour, most frequently occurring during sleep, can result in sore facial muscles, headaches, ear aches, fractured teeth and filling, hyper-sensitivity of teeth and temporo-mandibular joint damage. According to Dr J. Bindra, Professor and Head, Department of Dentistry, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, here, those suffering from tooth grinding often complained of painful jaws or experienced headaches in the morning, the sound produced by teeth during sleep disturbed the other partner and the teeth became more sensitive to cold, touch or other stimuli. She said the tooth grinding was clenching together of the lower and upper jaw accompanied by grinding of the lower and supper sets of teeth. During sleep, the biting force (the force at which the jaws clench together) could be up to six times greater than the pressure during waking hours with the result that significant damage was much more likely to be caused during the sleep. “If the problem is left unattended, the teeth can be ground down and shortened, creating cosmetic damage, the enamel of teeth is worn away and underlying dentin layer is exposed which makes the teeth more sensitive, the high pressure of bruxism can fracture the teeth and creak fillings and the problem can also cause damage to temporo-mandibular joint.” The victims of this problem, Dr Bindra cautioned, ought to see their dentist, who would be able to make out if these symptoms were due to bruxism. In most cases, the affected persons could be provided a ‘custom mouth-guard’ to be worn during sleep. “In addition, the dental professionals may help the victims position their teeth and tongue so as to reduce the bruxism. Reducing alcohol intake is also advisable since alcohol has been shown to worsen the condition. It is now well known that stress and anxiety play a major role in causing and aggravating bruxism. Therefore, those suffering from the problem, need to more effectively manage stress. By carefully monitoring and controlling the stress, one can often dramatically reduce the tooth grinding.”
	Dental implants catching up Our Correspondent Ludhiana, September 11 A two-day workshop on dental implants, attended by 80 dentists from the region, concluded here today. The workshop was conducted by Dr Shavir Nooryezdan, founder president of the Indian Academy of Implant Dentistry. He has also designed the uniti-implant system which is being manufactured in Holland. Dr Vivek Saggar said implants were the most natural way of replacing missing teeth. The process involved drilling a titanium root into the bone and after about four-six months, a new tooth or denture was fixed on the implant. The success rate was close to 98 per cent. Dr K.B.S. Kuckreja, secretary of the Indian Dental Association, Ludhiana, said there were very few dentists in the region who were doing implants.
	Dispensary inaugurated Tribune News Service Ludhiana, September 11 Shiromani Akali Dal President Parkash Singh Badal inaugurated Harpreet Kaur Memorial Homoeopathic Dispensary at Mohalla Kot Alamgir, Field Ganj, here today. It has been set up in memory of late Harpreet Kaur, daughter of senior journalist Manjit Singh Khalsa. A Class XI student of Guru Nanak Public School, Harpreet had died in an accident while returning from school on August 1. Mr Badal visited the residence of Mr Khalsa to offer his condolences. The expenses of the dispensary would be borne by the family. A delegation of industrialists, led by president of the Chamber of Industrial and Commercial Undertakings (CICU) Inderjit Singh Pradhan, met Mr Badal.

Lakhvinder, Naman win badminton title
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, September 11
Lakhvinder Singh and Naman Jain proved too good for Sandep Sharma and Rajesh Grover whom they beat in straight sets to win title in the Ludhiana District Senior Men’s Doubles Badminton Championship held at Shastri Hall in Guru Nanak Stadium here today. In the final, the pair romped home victorious 15-13 and 15-8 to clinch the title.

Earlier, in the semifinals, the pair of Lakhvinder and Naman Jain prevailed over Rhit Babaj and Sunny in three sets 15-10, 12-15 and 15-9 while Sandeep Sharma and Rakesh Grover had to toil hard to edge out Jai Parkarsh an Ashwani Jain. The final score was 15-10, 8-15 and 15-13.

In other matches, Ravinder Verma and Sandeep beat Vishal Bansal and Ravi 15-13, 12-15 and 15-13; Rohit Bajaj and Sunny defeated Karan and Abhishek 15-10 and 15-10; Rajesh Gupta and M P Singh beat Kailash Prabhakar and Vinod Gupta 15-10, 10-15 and 15-6.

Mr Balkar Singh, Councillor, Municipal Corporation, Ludhiana, was the chief guest at the function. He gave away prizes to the winners. On this occasion, Mr Balkar Singh handed over a cheque for Rs 25,000 to Mr Babu Ram, care taker of the Shastri Hall and father of the late national doubles champion Harish Kumar who died in a road accident at Kolkata last year. Mr Arun Dhand, former world veteran’s champion, along with a number of other players who had represented the state in different tournaments in the past, was present on this occasion.