HEALTH

Cochlear implant a boon for the hearing impaired
By Poonam Batth
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 2 — The cochlear implant programme, to be started shortly by the ENT and Speech and Hearing Department of the PGIMER, will prove a boon for the profoundly hearing impaired individuals, who receive no benefit from even the most powerful hearing aids.

According to Dr S.B.S. Mann, Head of the Department, with the help of this technique, even those who are deaf and dumb by birth will be able to hear and speak. Cochlear implant is an electronic device which is implanted surgically in the inner ear (cochlea), which bypasses the damaged parts of the ear and directly stimulates the remaining auditory nerve fibres, which then sends signals to the brain.

Until now, patients from North India have travelled large distances for accessing cochlear implant technology and some have even gone abroad. But with the availability of this technique at the PGI, the patients from the entire northern region would benefit, said Dr Mann.

He further said the screening of patients would begin by the end of this month once the equipment was installed. It would be of immense use mainly to two kinds of patients, those who could not hear or speak right from birth and those who had lost their capacity to hear following an accident or bomb explosion. The first category of patients are stated to be prelingual deaf for they have not heard a single word from birth and are unable to speak. Those who lose their power to hear following an accident are postlingual deaf. In both these cases, the electrical nerve impulses will help stimulate the hearing nerve to send sound signals to the brain.

Many persons with severe to profound sensorineural hearing loss have some remaining auditory nerve fibres. Individuals will be tested to find out if these nerve fibres still function. If so, they might be considered a candidate for an implant, said Dr Mann. Adults of all ages benefit from this implant.

He said the technique was first made available in Jaslok Hospital, Mumbai, but only the facility of single implant was being provided there. However, the PGI would provide the patients with multichannel implant technique. With the help of this technique, a patient would be able to hear the sounds more clearly. It is more beneficial to those who are deaf and dumb by birth, for they have to learn various words right from the start.

In foreign countries, the technique is far more advanced and cochlear implants varying from one channel to 22 channels are available. Hence, various big hospitals are importing these implants from there. The technique is also available in certain hospitals of Chennai and Delhi, including the AIIMS.

Figures available reveal that over 25,000 patients, including 12,000 worldwide, have benefited from the nucleus cochlear implant. However, since the technique in India is relatively new, 100 patients have received the device. Dr Mann said the cost of the device, varying between Rs 4.8 lakh and Rs 7.4 lakh, had prevented more people to benefit from this technique. He said the CSIO had also been asked to prepare an indigenous cochlear implant, which was more cost effective and affordable. It may cost up to Rs 2 lakh. An Australian company will install the equipment next week.

Since individuals receiving a cochlear implant need extensive speech rehabilitation, the PGI, which has an advanced speech and hearing programme, will be able to provide the patients of this region with an effective treatment option.

The implant does not restore normal hearing but improves the person's ability to hear environmental sounds, rhythm and patterns of speech and to use speech reading better.

LRP training programme
From a Correspondent

PANCHKULA, June 2 — The Family Planning Association Of India is conducting a Local Resource Persons (LRP) training programme on empowerment of panchayati raj institutions in Panchkula district, for the LRPs of Barwala, Morni and Raipur Rani blocks at the community health centre (CHC), Raipur Rani, from June 6 to June 10, 2000.

The training programme will be inaugurated by Mrs Pushpa Khanna, President, FPAI, Panchkula branch on June 6 at 10.30 a.m.

The LRPs will be imparted training on 09 modules developed by the Population Foundation of India, the coordinating agency. One day has been kept for field work in which the LRPs will visit a selected village and conduct a needs assessment with participatory learning for action techniques to develop a priority-wise plan of action for development of the village.

The LRPs will further impart training to all the newly elected Panchayat members at the cluster and panchayat level.

The 09 modules are:

(1) 73rd Constitutional Amendment and salient features of Haryana Panchayati Raj Act.

(2) Duties and responsibilities of Panchayati Raj Institutions Members.

(3) Resource mapping and decentralised planning.

(4) Health, diseases, nutrition and immunization.

(5) RCH Concept/Components/ Govt Programmes, services and delivery mechanism.

(6) Gender concerns/ status of women.

(7) Education, literacy.

(8) Water, Sanitation and Environment

A film “Sanshodhan” developed by the NFDC on Panchayati Raj will also be shown to the LRPs.

SPORT

Cricket coaching camp begins
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, June 2 — The first phase of the women coaching camp of Indian team probables to prepare for the forthcoming World Cup Cricket-2000, going to begin at New Zealand from November 23, began here today at DAV Senior Secondary School, Sector 8 grounds.

Out of 36 probables called for this fifteen-day camp, 24 had practice session today. Later in the evening, rest of the players also arrived. Those who will not attend the same include Chandrakanta Aher. Umesh Kumari of Indian Railways was unwell and might not come here.

The prominent players attending the camp were, Poornima Rao of Air India, an off-spinner, Anjum Chopra, a left-handed batswoman, Anju Jain and Renu Margaret, among others.

Mr Dua said earlier this camp, basically meant to improve the physical conditioning of the players, was scheduled to be held at YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry at Nauni (Solan) due to better climatic conditions. But only last week, the acute water problem at Solan forced the association to shift the camp to Chandigarh. Sudha Shah, a former Indian player, said in the next two camps, pruning of players would be done and the final camp would most likely be held at Delhi.

The morning practice hours were divided into two parts. The probables are, Poornima Rao, Kalyani, Resham Gandhi, Mithali Kala, Seema Pujari, Gurdeep, Varsha Raiffel, Smitha Harikrishna, Poornima Chaudhary, Anjum Chopra, Anju Jain, Renu Margaret, Neetu David, Sunita Kanojia, Mamta Kishan, Suvarna Laxmi, Kavita Roy, Hemlata Kala, Rupanjali Shastri, Julan Goswami, Rumeli Dhar, Rakhi Mehra, Gulshan, Bindeshwari Goel, Arun Dati, Sangeeta Kamat, Aarti Vaidya, Deepika Kulkarni, Neelima, Rumeli Dhar, Vanita, Vaishali and Amrita Shinde.

Sunil for u-17 meet
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, June 2 — Sunil Kumar of Chandigarh was the lone probable selected by the Volleyball Federation of India (VFI) for the Children of Asia International Sports Meet (under-17) going to be held at Sakha in Russia from August 4 to 13. The selection trials for the same were held on May 30 and 31 at Chennai.

According to Mr Vijay Pal Singh, Vice-President, VFI, 98 boys and 78 girls took part in the selection trials. He added that 16 more boys would shortlisted after the camp, which began today at Chennai.

Mr Vijay Pal Singh said the VFI had decided to hold regional camps at different places. In the trials held on May 24 and 25 at Amritsar, out of 61 probables, 10 boys and 10 girls were shortlisted. They had joined the camp which was being held at Patiala from June 1 to 15. He added that similar camps had been arranged at other regional centres like Chennai, Calcutta and Bangalore.

Sixteen players in both boys and girls sections will be selected after the trials. The team will take part in the Asian Junior Mens Volleyball Championship (Under-19), to be held at Teheran (Iran) from August 18 to 25.

Additional charge: Mr P.S. Gill, who was recently appointed Chief General Manager of CITCO, also got the additional charge of Additional Director (Sports), UT Administration. The orders of this effect were passed by the UT Home Secretary, Mr M.P. Singh, on May 30.

Cricket tourney: In the under-14 section summer cricket tournament, Ajay Bali XI outplayed Rajat XI by 30 runs. Yuvraj XI defeated Rohit XI by six wickets.

Earlier, Gaurav Aneja XI outplayed Varun Kaushal XI by six wickets in the first match of under-12 summer cricket tournament at Sector 15 grounds. The triangular series is being organised by Masters Sports Welfare Society.

ADMINISTRATION

Don’t manhandle staff: Engineering Department
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 2 — The Engineering Department of the Chandigarh Administration has appealed to the general public to cooperate in the prevailing circumstances and not manhandle the field staff.

In a written statement issued yesterday, the Chief Engineer, Mr R.K. Jain, said during the past few days, due to extreme hot weather coupled with severe duststorms, there had been frequent power interruptions in various parts of the city, resulting in inconvenience to the general public.

Most of the power breakdowns, he said, were attributed to uprooting of trees and falling of their branches on the power lines, causing breakage of conductors and dead short circuiting. The position had been aggravated on account of failure of power supply from the source, i.e., Ropar Thermal Plant, plunging most of southern parts of the city in darkness.

The officers and staff members of the Electricity Wing had been putting in sincere efforts to restore the supply within the shortest possible period by working round the clock. In spite of these efforts, he said, there had been incidents where the agitated people manhandled the staff on duty.

Mr Jain said Chandigarh did not have its own source of power supply and had to depend upon supply from outside sources. Breakdown of power was sometimes beyond the control of the staff and because of natural calamities, it might not be possible to restore the supply expeditiously, he claimed. As such, public should cooperate and desist from manhandling the staff on duty, Mr Jain said.

Sites for taxi-stands to be auctioned
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, June 2 — The Finance and Contract Committee (F&CC) of the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh (MCC) today recommended the auctioning of all sites earmarked for taxi-stands in the city.

Keeping in view the mushrooming of various taxi stands and increasing tendency of using the municipal land without paying any ground rent, the F&CC unanimously decided to recommend the auction of the authorised sites meant for the taxi-stands.

Once approved by the house of the civic body, it would not only enhance the revenue of the corporation but also help tackle the problems of illegal taxi-stands in the city, members of the committee felt at a meeting chaired by the Mayor, Ms Shanta Abhilashi, here.

And respecting the sentiments of residents, specially strollers, the committee decided to make the parking of vehicles free at the parking lot of the terraced garden in Sector 33.

Encroachments removed: The Enforcement Staff today launched an anti-encroachment drive in Burail village and seized a number of frames of the cars, scooters and coolers and challaned 35 scrap dealers.

Besides razing nine “khokhas”, the squad also impounded 20 sugarcane juice machines from the locality in the operation which ended peacefully.