HEALTH

Health minister attends convocation today
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 11 — Senior doctors and employees of the PGI are expected to air their grievances before Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr C.P. Thakur, during his two-day maiden visit to the city for attending the 24th convocation of the institute on October 12.

According to sources, a deputation of additional professors is likely to meet him to discuss the issue of non-implementation of their promotional avenues already approved by the Cabinet and the government after being approved by governing body during its last meeting.

The employees’ union and students are also likely to discuss their problems and submit memorandums. Pertinent issues like overcrowding of the hospital emergency and the OPDs, besides the implementation of the Bakshi committee report are also likely to be taken up. A press conference is also scheduled the same day.

Dr Thakur, a Padamshree is also a BC Roy Award winner. He has also won the Dr B.K. Aiket Memorial oration and Dr P.N. Raju memorial oration, awards given by the Indian Council of Medical Research for his deep interest and scientific contribution in Kala-Azar.

Arriving by the Shatabdi Express, the minister will on the first day be the chief guest at a seminar on “Controlled Population, Good Sanitation’’ at the lecture theatre complex, PGI. He will later preside over the 24th annual convocation of the PGI and deliver the convocation address. Sources in PGI revealed that the convocation is being held after October, 1997. They said that convocations could not be held earlier due to one reason or the other.

The Minister, who is also the President of the institute will give away degrees to over 600 students in various disciplines in medicine. These include Bachelor and Master of Science in medical technology, PhD in various disciplines, MD and M Ch ( Super speciality). Apart from these degrees, gold and silver medals would be awarded to toppers in various faculties. Among those present at the convocation will be the local Member Parliament, Mr Pawan Kumar Bansal and the Haryana Health Minister, Mr M.L Ranga.

The institute is being spruced up for the Minister’s visit with the roads being repaired and railings and boards being freshly painted.

HIV infection on the rise
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 11 — The 11th regional meeting of the International Union against Sexually Transmitted Infections (SE Asia and West Pacific) and 24th National Conference of Indian Association for the study of sexually transmitted diseases and AIDS is being held at the PGI from October 13 to 15. It will be inaugurated by the Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Dr C.P. Thakur, at the APC Auditorium.

Addressing mediapersons today, Prof Bhushan Kumar, organising secretary of the conference pointed out that the quantum of HIV infection is rapidly increasing in the country. And being a condition for which there is no cure, prevention takes on added dimensions. The presence of sexually transmitted infections and ulcerated genitalia contribute significantly to the spread of these infections, he added.

He further disclosed that WHO estimates that several million Indians have already been affected with HIV and that our beliefs and continued ignorance will add very substantially to this pool very soon. In a few years, the country may have the dubious distinction of having the world’s highest population of infected individuals. According to Dr Kumar, almost 50 per cent of the adult population is infected, the majority being the productivity age group of 15-45 years. Those who have escaped are either younger children or older adults. Various sessions will analyse the great influence of sexually transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS on the lives of human beings, especially adults.

The conference will discuss ways and means towards preventing the spread of sexually transmitted infections and HIV infection. Dr Kumar emphasised the need to impart sexual education in schools for generating the required awareness. This will go a long way in dispelling fears and apprehensions and checking psycho sexual disorders, he added. There will be a series of guest lectures, symposia, focussed clinical discussions and orations as well. The research carried out in many parts of India and South East Asia will be presented in free paper sessions.

More than 250 or more experts in the field of sexually transmitted diseases from the Asia Pacific region i.e. China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, New Zealand, Australia will participate in the conference. Dr Ross Philpot, World president of International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Diseases will start the scientific programme after the inauguration. This will be followed by a lecture by Prof J S Bingham, president-elect of the Union. Prof Bhushan Kumar will discuss a behavioural approach towards the control of sexually transmitted infections. This will be followed by a symposium on management of HIV infection with relevance to a resource poor nation like in India. 

SPORT

Ballot boxes occupying PU gym
By Arvind Katyal

CHANDIGARH, Oct 11 — The Panjab University Senate elections have affected sportspersons of the city indirectly. The entire gymnasium hall on the PU campus has remained closed for the past more than 20 days because ballot boxes used in the elections are occupying a part of it. These can only be opened or removed on the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Players of badminton and judo are missing their training sessions because of this. Many other sportspersons are facing the same situation. The physiotherapy and weight training centres are also closed.

Mr Kewal Singh, Assistant Director of the PU Department of Sports, said a meeting of the officials concerned would be held tomorrow to discuss the issue. He said the regular practice of sportspersons was getting disturbed.

Most badminton players of the university and the city practice in this gymnasium. Players want to resume their practice as soon as possible.

“The Junior National Badminton Championship is to be held in the city from November 15 to 23 and the Sector 42 hall is being renovated. With the closure of the gymnasium, we now have no place to practice for the event,” said a player. Judo players and those who attend weight training sessions here visit the gymnasium daily. However, security guards politely tell them that they have not received the orders to reopen the centre so far.

“The university authorities are taking the matter rather casually. There are other places on the campus like Law Auditorium and English Auditorium where the ballot boxes can be kept,” said a woman badminton player. Another sportsperson said the university officials should have occupied any room, but not the gymnasium.

Another badminton player said performance of the team in the national tournament would be badly affected because of inadequate practice. He said the authorities could easily open the entrance to the badminton courts which would not disturb the security arrangements as the boxes were in another part of the gymnasium. Mr Paramjit Singh, Registrar of the PU, was not available for comments.

ADMINISTRATION

DPC meeting postponed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 11 — The meeting of the Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC) to select the Chief Engineer, Chandigarh Administration, has been postponed by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) following a request from the Chandigarh Administration in this regard.

The DPC was scheduled to meet on October 13. It comprises the Chairman of the UPSC, the UT Home Secretary and the UT Finance Secretary.

The postponement comes after the Chandigarh Administration sought this from the UPSC, saying it would like to fill posts of Chief Engineer, Chandigarh Administration, and Chief Engineer, Municipal Corporation, in one go. The DPC was scheduled to meet to select only the Chief Engineer, Chandigarh Administration. Last week, the Administration asked the UPSC that the DPC may be postponed.

Sources said the UPSC had not agreed to the request of the Administration, saying the post of Chief Engineer of MC was an ex-cadre post and it had nothing to do with it. The postponement of the DPC might be for short period only , sources added.

The serving Chief Engineer, R.K. Jain’s extended deputation tenure from Haryana ended on September 30 . The Administration wrote a letter to the Haryana Government — Mr Jain’s parent cadre — asking that he be allowed to stay in Chandigarh till the issue was finalised. A nod from Haryana is awaited as all decision-making officials are away to Singapore with the Haryana Chief Minister. Mr Jain retires in March 2001.

In the race for the post are Mr Puranjit Singh , Chief Engineer, Municipal Corporation, Mr V.K. Bhardwaj, Superintending Engineer, Construction Circle, and Mr Jagdish Mitter, Superintending Engineer, presently posted as OSD, Rules.

All three candidates in the race are UT cadre engineers.

Among the three candidates, Mr Puranjit Singh is the seniormost, followed by Mr Bhardwaj and Mr Mitter. Mr Puranjit Singh is Chief Engineer, MC, since January, 1997, but in his cadre — the UT Engineering Department — he has been holding the post of SE since 1988. He has also served as Chief Engineer, Chandigarh Housing Board. Mr Bhardwaj has worked in the PGI as Superintending Hospital Engineer. He was promoted to SE in December 1995. Mr Jagdish Mitter was promoted to SE almost a month later in January, 1996.

One of the parameters for eligibility is three years of service as SE. The previous Chief Engineer, Mr K.K. Jerath, was suspended in November 1997 and was dismissed from service in February 1999. Since his suspension, the post has been lying vacant.