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| Monday, September 4, 2000, Chandigarh, India |
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‘Club foot 100 per cent
curable’ CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — Two to three out of every 1000 children born in India suffer from Club Foot or Congenital Talipes Equino Varus (CTEV), as it is known in scientific terms. However, all the orthopedic specialists attending the XIV Annual Conference of the Indian Foot Society said it is a problem which is 100 per cent treatable, provided it gets the attention of an expert before the deformities set in. Left unattended, the problem magnifies when the joints become stiff and the arthritis sets in. “If the foot is left untreated and neglected, the patient may not even be able to walk later in life,” says Dr R.S. Kulkarni, Civil Surgeon at the Civil Hospital at Sindhunagri, Maharashtra. Dr Kulkarni, in a special survey carried out in his district, had found that 2.45 out of every 1000 live births suffer from club foot. “ Surveys are very important to know the exact extent of the incidence of a disease,” adds Dr Kulkarni. Most of the doctors say that an untreated CTEV will later become stiff and the success rate of corrective measures starts decreasing. As per Prof R.S. Maini, from the Ganga Ram Hospital in Delhi.” Later on it becomes difficult to achieve very good results.” Club foot is the condition when the foot bends inward, resembling a fist. Prof Maini says that the reasons behind the deformity could be varied.” The most common, besides the obvious genetic cause, could be that the child in the mother’s womb had been in an abnormal position. Another is that the mother could have taken some drug in the first trimester of the pregnancy.” Besides, the studies reveal that the condition is more common in males than in females. The doctors say that any case of congenital club foot should be identified and then treated as soon as possible when the foot is still comparably small. According to Dr Maini, during the first few months of the child’s life the club foot is treated mainly by non-operative , conservative methods. “The child cannot stand a splinter plaster during the first three weeks of its life. Therefore, gentle and gradual manipulation is required at this stage. Later, the foot is corrected with a plaster. If it doesn’t get corrected with the conservative technique, then at six months of age a surgery is performed. The muscles and tissues which are short are lengthened and the patient wears a special kind of shoe to ensure that there is no relapse of deformity.” There are a few cases when the feet are resistant to treatment or the condition reoccurs due to neglect. “Both the doctor’s and the parents role is important in the post operative stage,” says Dr Kulkarni. In the cases which do not get well by conservative methods, an external fixator is applied. In this pins are passed from both sides of the foot, from the posterior and above, and then the frame is applied. The screws on the fixator of the frame are moved gradually,almost one circle in a day. The operative technique involves cutting open the foot and making a big release. However, doctors insist that a bone operation is not advisable after the patient completes 25 years of age. According to Dr Kulkarni, the body by then gets used to bearing the weight in that position and a surgical operation might disturb the blood supply. “Therefore any deformity after 25 years of age should be rather left untouched,” he adds However, Prof R.L. Mittal, a former Head of the Orthopaedic Department and now a private practitioner, disagrees. “In India, people do not come early mainly because of lack of awareness and poverty. Which is why we mostly get cases which have been neglected or are recurrent. It is true that the club foot if treated earlier gets better, but there are good chances of correction even at a later stage.” Professor Mittal has carried out more than 300 operations of congenital club foot by his original surgical technique which has been recognised at both the national and the international levels. For this he has also been awarded the best researchers award by the Indian Orthopaedics Association. “The only difference is that while an early treatment may require a simple plaster, treatment at a later stage could involve a more complicated surgical method,” he adds. The two-day conference which concluded today was attended by over 400 delegates from various parts of the country. Today’s session had deliberations mostly on the CTEV followed by panel discussions and case presentations of some complicated cases. Later, at a general body
meeting of the society, Dr R.L. Mittal was unanimously
elected the president. The Head of the Orthopaedics
Department of the P.G.I., Prof O.N. Nagi was elected the
vice-president of the society. Dr M.S. Dhillon has been
appointed as the editor of their journal on foot surgery. |
‘Balanced diet, exercise keys to
good health’ CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — Balanced diet, vegetarianism and exercise are the keys to good health and long life. This was the message of the Continuing Medical Education (CME) programme on diet management in medicine organised by the Department of Dietetics and Medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital, here today at the CSIO auditorium. More than 275 delegates from the region participated in the programme.The programme was inaugurated by Prof S.K. Sharma, Director, PGI. The highlight of the programme was a lively interactive panel discussion which lasted for more than two hours on diet in various medical disorders.The kind of diet to be maintained by those suffering from various diseases like diabetes, gall stones, liver problems, kidney stones and renal disorders, gastroenteritis was discussed and a large number of queries from the delegates were answered by the panelists. It was noted that a balanced diet, high fibre content in the diet, proper oil combination, regular meals, maintenance of ideal body weight, control of alcohol consumption were required for those suffering from these diseases. The panel of doctors included Dr Kamal Sud, Assistant Professor in the Department of Nephrology, PGI, Dr Ajay Duseja, gastroenterologist, GMCH, Dr Anil Bhansali, Assistant Professor, Department of Endocrinology, PGI, Dr Molly Joshi, Chief Dietician, CMC Ludhiana, Dr Ashwani Sood, Cardiologist from GMCH. Dr Atul Sachdev, chairman of the organising committee moderated the discussion. Dr C. K. Hira, Senior Nutritionist, Department of Foods and Nutrition PAU, Ludhiana, spoke on the good, the bad and the ugly of fats and oils. She focussed on the fact that a combination of desi ghee along with mustard oil, olive oil, soya oil and groundnut oil was good for health. Keep changing your oils was the other suggestion made. Dr Manju Mathur, Chief Dietician, GMCH, Chandigarh, spoke on the role of diet in delaying the ageing process. She focussed on the importance of balanced diet, recharging of the immune system, prevention of obesity, exercise and a positive attitude in controlling the ageing process. She said irregular meal times, excessive use of laxatives or antacids, alcohol consumption and smoking rob the body of the nutrition it gets from balanced diet. Dr S. P. Kaushik, Prof and Head, Department of Surgery, GMCH, spoke on surgical nutrition and emphasised the importance of nutritional supplements required by patients suffering from serious diseases or who have undergone surgery. Lt-Col A.C. Anand of Command Hospital, Chandi Mandir, spoke on the diet of soldiers in high altitude area and war conditions. He stated that the average diet as per the ICMR recommendations should contain 3900 kcal with minimum of 55g proteins for heavy work. However, because of the special conditions on high altitude and high activity period like war, the requirement is much more diet. Logistic problems cooking difficulties and multi-population with varied choices were peculiar to the army, he added. Dr A. S. Bawa, Reader in
the Department of General Surgery, GMCH, spoke on the
role of diet in the prevention of renal stones. He
recommended that patients ought to drink sufficient
fluids, limit the intake of meat, avoid table salt and
overindulgence in dairy products like milk, curd, butter
etc. |
Talk on eye donation held CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — The Bharat Vikas Parishad, Chandigarh (West) held an eye donation education talk at DAV College, Sector 10, as part of observing the national fortnight on eye donation, Aug 25 to Sep 8. Dr. P N Thapar, convener, stated that everyone should donate blood during their life time and their eyes after death. Dr Ashok Sharma, Associate Professor, Eye, PGI stated that the blind can get their eyesight back with corneal transplantation. Dr K.L. Passi, national convener, said that food rich in Vitamin A is good for the eyes. Proper TV watching habits and eye hygiene could be instrumental in maintaining good eyesight. Dr Joginder Singh,
Director, Health Services was the chief guest at the
occasion and appreciated the role of the BV Parishad for
this service. The function was presided over by Dr Jagat
Ram, Additional Professor, Eye, PGI. |
Health care products launched CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — A herbal-based pharmaceutical company launched 20 healthcare products in the north India at a focal meet of doctors held here today. With the demand for herbal products increasing rapidly in both domestic and international market, the company also plans to undertake herbal farming in the Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka. At present, the company
plans to cater to the demand of herbal products in the
northern region. |
Alternative medical check-up camp CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — A two-day alternative medicine and check-up camp concluded on the premises of Tribune Model School here today. A team of doctors consisting of Dr Srikrishan Sharma, Aacharya Harbinder, Dr Prem Chand Gaur and Dr Anup Goel examined about 300 patients from the Tribune colony and other residential areas. People were advised on how to perform exercise and abhor medicines by body balancing. The camp was organised
by the Tribune Colony Welfare Advisory Committee. |
10 pc suffer from coronary
heart diseases: expert CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — More than 50 per cent of deaths above 65 years of age are due to coronary artery diseases and more than 75 per cent of deaths from ischaemic heart diseases (IHD) occur in elder individuals. This was stated by Dr H.K. Bali, Professor, Department of Cardiology, PGI, at a health talk held for senior citizens at Lajpat Rai Bhavan, Sector 15 here. The talk was organised under the auspices of the Indian Medical Association, Chandigarh and the Servants of the People Society. Mr Santosh Kumar of the society welcomed the senior citizens. Dr G.S. Kochhar, president, IMA, Chandigarh branch, introduced the guest speakers. The chairperson for this session was Dr J.G. Jolly, consultant, transfusion medicine. Dr Bali stressed the role of regular exercise and non-smoking habits. Dr Kochar stated that 10 per cent of the urban population and 7 per cent of the rural population suffers from coronary heart diseases. The IMA demanded that the government should declares heartcare as a priority sector as only Rs 4,000 crore were allocated with 1999-2000 budget for healthcare as against 45,000 crore for defence. Dr R.P. Bhatta, former
Chief Dietetics of the PGI, spoke on the dietary care in
cardiology. He mentioned about the control of cholesterol
in our diet and said palm oil and coconut oil should be
avoided. Green leafy vegetables should be consumed, he
said. |
Kelvinator XI win Samuel Banerjee
tourney CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — Rakesh Jolly was the star in the Kelvinator XI fine six wickets victory over the Industrial Cricket Club (ICC) and bagged the Samuel Banerjee Memorial Tournament, which concluded here today at the Sector 16 cricket stadium. Mrs Phylis Banerjee, wife of late Samuel Banerjee a former Sports Editor of The Tribune, was the chief guest and gave away prizes and trophies to winners. Earlier in the morning, the ICC team won the toss and decided to bat first. Except Munish Arora, who remained unbeaten with fine 42 runs with one six and one four, the others just feel to the medium pace bowling attacks of Surinder Singh ‘Baijee’ whose in swinger were a deadly havoc for the ICC batsmen. Only Ravinder Nain could reach double figure and scored 12 runs. Rakesh Jolly also took two wickets for 32 runs while Munish Jain two for 14 runs. The ICC could make 123 runs for the loss of nine wickets in 26.3 overs. Chasing a target of 124 runs, the Kelvinator XI began on a sound footing with former Ranji player Rakesh Jolly again holding the limelight by making mincemeat of ICC bowlers and scored a hurricane 46 runs which included six hits to the fence and one sixer. Ajay Manu, Jaswinder and Arun Tuli supported him by scoring 19, 16 and 14 runs, respectively. Finally the victory came in 27th over with three deliveries yet to go and six wickets were still intact. Rakesh Jolly was adjudged the man of the match and man of the series, while Mr Surinder Singh ‘Baijee’ the best bowler, Arun Tuli the best bowler, and Bhupinder Singh (senior) the best all-rounder. Later, SAI cricket coach Sukhwinder Singh Bawa, whose trainee Yuvraj was only yesterday picked as a probable for the Indian team ,was honoured. Dr Ravinder Chadha, a doctor, while speaking on the occasion, said that it was nice that Chandigarh, which once produced international cricketers like Kapil Dev, Chetan Sharma and Ashok Malhotra, now has Yuvraj coming up. But he said it was sad that still Chandigarh do not have direct affiliation with the BCII. Tournaments end The volley ball boys title was won by Shivalik Public School, Sector 41. In the girls section PML SD Public School outplayed Laureate Public School, Shimla 25-15-25-17. The third place in the boys category went to DAV Senior Secondary school, Chandigarh while in the girls to Alpine School, Pinjore. The meet was declared closed by Mr G.K. Chatrath, president, Bar Association of Punjab and Haryana High Court. He gave away the prizes too. Mr. K.K Sharma, PCS (retd.) chairperson of the school, promised that the school would extend all possible assistance and co-operation in hosting various sports event in the future. Badminton
tourney He said the Chandigarh junior and senior team in the boys and girls sections would also be selected during this meet for the North Zone Inter-state Badminton Championships to be held at Delhi from September 15 to 17. Skating festival Kho-kho tourney Rural soccer
meet Entry forms PANCHKULA Cricket trials According to Mr Sandeep
Moudgil secretary of the PDCA, the selected players will
take part in the Haryana inter-district cricket meet to
be held at September 6 at Panchkula while the final
championship to be played at Rohtak on September 14. |
Kerala girls win ball badminton
meet CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — Kerala eves displayed their prowess when they defended the girls ball badminton title at the 20th National Sub-Junior Ball Badminton Meet, which concluded here today at Shivalik Public School, Sector 41. In the final they overpowered Karnataka by 29-21and 29-15. In boys final, it was Karnataka which outclassed Hyderabad by 29-8 and 29-17. Chandigarh teams both in boys and girls section secured sixth position. Mr Ashok Goel,
vice-president of the Chandigarh Olympic Association,
gave away prizes. The Regional Manager of the Ravelgaon
products, which also partly sponsored the meet, was the
guest of honour. |
Panel to preserve city’s
bio-diversity formed CHANDIGARH, Sept 3 — The Chandigarh Administration has constituted a steering committee to prepare a strategy and action plan to conserve bio-diversities in the city and the adjoining areas. The main aim of the committee will be to conserve existing varieties of crops, forests, livestock and fish in the region. Taking an initiative to preserve the flora of the region, the administration is planning an 108 acre botanical garden towards the west of the city, ahead of PGI. The committee under the chairmanship of Mr H.S. Sohal, Chief WildLife Warden, will devise a state action plan which will be combined at the national level to devise a complete action plan for the country. At the national level, there is concern about the depleting bio-diversity because of preference to higher yield varieties in the case of agriculture and animal husbandry. In view of the challenges to nature, Parliament is also considering passing a bio-diversity Act. Other members of the committee include the Director of the Institute of Microbial Technology, Dr Satish Narula; a horticulture expert from the Panjab Agriculture University; executive engineers from the Department of Horticulture, the Chandigarh Administration and the Municipal Corporation. Prof S.P. Vig, Head of the Botany Department, Panjab University and Mr P.Dadhwal,Member Secretary of the Environment Department are also part of the steering committee. A few non government
organisations are involved with the project at the
national level.In Chandigarh, Mr Promod Kumar from the
Institute of Development and Communication, Mr Promod
Sharma from Yuvasatta and Ms Madhu Sarin working on
forest-people interaction are the part of the committee |
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