HEALTH

Improvement in lives of AIDS patients stressed
Tribune News Service

CHANDIGARH, Oct 14 — There is an immediate need to reduce HIV-related mortality and morbidity and improve the quality of life of persons living with HIV and AIDS ( PLHA) to confront the emerging challenge posed by the spread of HIV virus. This was stated by Dr Antonio Carlos Gerbase, coordinator,Prevention HIV/AIDS/ STI Initiative, WHO, who is in the city to participate in the regional meeting of the International Union Against Sexually Transmitted Infections (IUSTI) and national conference of Indian Association for the study of Sexually Transmitted Diseases.

Dr Gerbase pointed out that STIs fuelled HIV transmission as the possibility of transmission of HIV virus increased. He stated that a study had provided irrefutable evidence that the presence of STDs enhanced the chances contracting HIV by a factor ranging from 1.5 to 8.5 times. Talking about the preventive strategy, he said one of the main components of any control programme should be to treat the STD cases, besides educating the public to reduce the number of partners and promoting the use of condoms. He further highlighted that care and support were essential for the prevention of HIV infections. This would help alleviate stigma and discrimination, he added.

The government should encourage voluntary counselling and testing to ensure an early detection of these diseases. For this, it was necessary to make available the laboratory diagnostic faciliies at peripheral health institutions. Dr Gerbase disclosed that WHO and UNAIDS were jointly trying to make the developing countries have access to cheaper drugs. Lack of finances, human resources and health infrastructure had, over the years, aggravated the problem, he added.

Dr J.S. Bingham, professor in genitourinary medicine in the UK, stressed that government needed to introduce general sex education in schools to ensure better understanding of these deadly infections among the youth. This would also go a long way in preventing the transmission of the infections from mother to child. He suggested that drugs to cure sexually transmitted diseases should be given to patients free of cost or on subsidised rates.

Dr Bingham said behavioural change had also proved to be effective means of reducing HIV transmission and local NGOs should be involved to sensitise the community about the disease and its fallout. It was better to convey the detection of HIV-positive cases to the family members of the person rather than to keep it a secret.

Dr R V Ramana Rao from Guntur delivered the RV Rajam Endowment Oration. He spoke about the changing patterns of sexuality and STD in modern age. Changes in moral values of society had increased promiscuity. He also discussed the impact of this phenomenon on the pattern of sexual behaviour and sexually transmitted diseases in India.

Dr Verapol Chandeying discussed the syndromic management of vaginal discharge. He presented data from Thailand regarding the methods used to identify and recognise infectious organisms based on clinical criteria and other laboratory techniques. He pointed out that oral drug therapy was more likely to be preferred by patients. He emphasised the improvement in personal hygiene and the positive impact of this on the beneficial outcome of treatment.

Dicussing the problem of HIV/AIDS in women and children in India, Dr I.S. Gilada disclosed that at present more than 1 to 2 per cent of the normal women attending antenatal clinics were found to HIV positive. Given India’s vast population and large reproductive age group this translated to almost 2,70,000 babies per year from HIV-infected mothers. These children were potential orphans and of these only 90,000 of these would go on to develop childhood AIDS and while the remaining 180,000 would in all probability be orphaned before their tenth birthday. Dr Gilada pointed out that while preventive strategy employed in the United States cost almost 10,000 dollars to save one infant, the methodology adopted in India could cost as little as 300 dollars. He called upon the health authorities to generate more awareness among the womenfolk as that would prevent transmission in newly-born children.

During free paper sessions, original research carried out in women and STIs and HIV were presented.

Research carried out in China and India highlighted the investigative aspects of STDS. The day concluded with the regional meeting of the IUSTI. 

SPORT

CC-7, GMHS-26 enter final
By Our Sports Reporter

CHANDIGARH, Oct 14 — Coaching Centre, Sector 7 and Government Model High School, Sector 26 will face each other in the Sub junior final of boys section on the penultimate day of the UT Sub-junior and junior volleyball championship being played here at Shivalik Public School, Sector 41.

The match played between Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 8 and Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 18, was a thrilling three game encounter. Aman of GSSS-18 played a nice game.

In the matches played today, SD Public School, Sector 32 defeated Eagle Club , 21-25, 25-20, 25-19; CC-7b Ajit Karam Singh International Public School, Sector 41, 25-14, 25-9; CC-7 beat Eagle Club, 25-18, 25-16; Eagle Club beat AKSIPS-41, 25-9, 25-19.

Sub-Junior girls:GMHS-26 b GGSSS-27, 27-25, 25-9; GGSSS-18 beat GHS-32, 21-25, 25-12; GGSSS-32 b GGSSS-27, 25-12; 20-25, 25-20; GGSSS-18 b GMHS-26, 25-21, 25-22.

UT inter-school competitions

Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, defeated Sri Guru Gobind Singh Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, 7-3, to sail into the under-14 final of the UT Inter-School Handball Tournament being played here at Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 23. Now they will meet DAV Senior Secondary School,Sector 8, which defeated Guru Nanak Public School, Sector 36, 6-4.

In basketball Inter-school matches, played at Shivalik Public School, Sector 41, in under-19 section, GMSSS-33 defeated GMSSS-23, 28-0; GNPS-36 beat GMSSS-35,30-5; and PML SD Public School, Sector 32 b SNSSS-22; 32-0; under-17 section: PS-41 beat St Stephen’s - 45, 40-16; St Xavier’s-44 b GMSSS-10, 30-0 under-14 section: DAVPS-8 beat St. Stephen’s-45, 32-14, in the first semifinal.

Cricket tournament

St Anne’s School, Sector 32, Hansraj Public School, Sector 6, Panchkula, St John’s High School, Sector 26 and Little Flower School, Panchkula, reached the last four of the under-14 section of the 3rd Blessed Edmund Rice Cricket Tournament played here at St John’s School, Sector 26. In an under-12 match, St Kabir’s School, Sector 26, defeated St Francis Xavier’s School, Sector 44.

Cluster XI table tennis

Manav Mangal School, Sector 21, in under-14 boys and DAV Public School, Sector 8, Chandigarh, in girls section won the CBSE Cluster XI Table Tennis Tournament here at New Public School, Sector 18. In under-16 section, AKSIPS -41 won girls’ title while Shishu Niketan School, Sector 22, won boys title in this section.

Judo championship

SGGS College, Sector 26, in men and GN Khalsa College for women in women section bagged the Panjab University Inter-College Judo championship played here at the PU Campus today. In men, GGDSD College was placed second, DAV College, third and PU campus fourth. In women category, Government College for Girls, Sector 11, was second, SD College, Hoshiarpur, third and PU campus stood fourth.

ADMINISTRATION

Earmark sites for cracker stalls
Tribune News Service

SAS NAGAR, Oct 14 — To avert any untoward incident at the time of sale of fire crackers during the ensuing Divali season, the fire department has written to the Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM) to earmark space for the stalls of fire crackers. The department has said that the area should be away from the crowded places.

Mr Balwinder Singh Sidhu, In charge of the fire station, said the administration had been urged to follow the pattern adopted in Chandigarh and Panchkula for earmarking of such sites. Generally the past the fire crackers are sold in open spaces in front of the markets on a permission from the local municipal council. The Sub-divisional Magistrate (SDM), Mr Jaipal Singh, said he had forwarded the letter to the Deputy Commissioner, Ropar. The sites would be finalised in consultation with the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA).

Officials of the Fire Department said the guidelines of the Union Ministry of Environment regarding the ban on joined crackers (laris) would also be followed. Sale of fire crackers like rockets and bombs was also banned. Though the ministry had issued guidelines before the last Divali also, the shopkeepers were openly selling these items throughout the town.

An official of the local administration said that after the applicants were issued licence for the sale of fire crackers by the Deputy Commissioner, Ropar, the fire officials would visit the respective sites to see whether the fire safety arrangements had been made. Mr Sidhu said the three fire tenders with the local fire station would remain ready. There were nine firemen with the local fire station against 30 sanctioned posts.

Circus Ground auction

The MCC earned Rs 4.87 lakh through the auction of sites in the Sector 17 Circus Ground and the Sector 34 Exhibition Ground for the 10-day Divali Mela that is to begin on October 17. ‘‘While the Circus Ground sites were auctioned for Rs 3.33 lakh, the Exhibition Ground sites were auctioned for Rs 1.54 lakh.’’ The MCC Secretary, Mr Ashwani Kumar, said.