HEALTH

Leprosy makes inroads into Punjab 
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, July 2 — Leprosy is an endemic, chronic constitutional disease but some healthy Punjabis are also being affected with the scourge. It is undoubtedly a communicable and contagious disease. According to Dr Jasbir Dhanoa, Vice Principal of Christian Medical College and Hospital “Punjabis normally have very strong resistance against leprosy, but continuous influx of workers in hotels, sculleries and residential houses from other affected states increases the chances of communication.

Dr Randhir Singh Kadyan, Professor of skin, VD and leprosy in Christian Medical College and Hospital, clarifies that it is slowly increasing in Punjab due to the migration of people from endemic areas of Bihar, eastern parts of UP, who come here in search of livelihood. Almost every Punjabi agriculture family employs such migrant labourers as sharecroppers or farm-hands to help in routine chores. In some states, the prevalence of leprosy is more Dr R.S. Kadyan said, “It is a 100 per cent curable disease, provided the treatment is given in time and continued till the danger from the diseases is over”.

Giving comprehensive detail of symptoms of leprosy, Dr Kadyan clarified, “The skin of the victim is dry with loss of sweating and diminished number of hair. Usually the skin lesions start at an initial stage as hypopigmented (light colour of skin) with loss of sensation over the affected part of the body and this is hallmark of leprosy”. There is no loss of sensation in any other skin diseases except leprosy. In such circumstances, there are 100% chances of being affected with leprosy. Speaking on various stages and aspects of leprosy, Dr Kadyan further said that on one spectrum it is more contagious than the other spectrum, which is called open type leprosy. The resistance in local population against leprosy bacteria is less compared to the days of the yore.

Dr J.L. Joshi, Acting Director of Christian Medical College and Hospital, stressed the need for showing sympathy and providing succour to such afflicted persons of leprosy because great personalities and radical thinkers like Mahatma Gandhi and Mother Teresa devoted their whole life in serving leprosy patients.

Proper education and awareness will surely show results to eradicate people’s superstitions and misconceptions. Leprosy is not a curse, but a disease, which is totally curable, he added.

SBI holds free medical camp 
From Our Correspondent

LUDHIANA, July 2 — The overseas branch of the State Bank of India celebrated the SBI day with a medical camp at Rama Charitable Hospital here today. More than 100 poor patients were examined and provided medicines free of cost by a team of doctors headed by Dr Solanki.

Speaking at the function, the assistant general manager of the bank, Mr S.S.Sharma, said the SBI was celebrating the ‘bank day’ throughout the country by organising some community project for the welfare of under-privileged people of society.