HEALTH

SPECIAL REPORT
Test to distinguish between TB, cyst
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 31
To distinguish between tuberculoma and cysticercosis — two common etiological factors in patients suffering from epilepsy and headache — PGI Neurology Department is in the process of establishing a test, based on the genetic material of the organisms.

PGI Neurology Department Head Prof S. Prabhakar says though no clear-cut epidemiological data is available, the hospital receives four to five cases of tuberculoma (tuberculosis of brain) and cysticercosis (cyst due to trichinosis-tapeworm infestation) every day.

Though TB is also quite common, in the majority of patients, which is more than 90 per cent, cyticercosis is suspected to be the major etiological factor for the cysts in brain, revealed by the CT Scan and the MRI.

In the absence of a definitive test, it is often difficult for the doctors to diagnose between the two. This in turn may lead to wrong diagnosis and treatment. “ Treatment for cysticercosis is of short duration while tuberculoma cases have management plan extending for two years. That is why it is essential to differentiate the two by investigations,” says Prof Prabhakar.

Besides, a delay to diagnose between cysticercosis and tuberculoma as a delay or a wrong treatment can lead to an increase in the frequency of epileptic attacks, which can ultimately damage the brain. These attacks can worsen into psychotic illnesses and patient can even get demented. At times, the disease is so advanced that the patient cannot be recovered.

Cysticercosis is very common in North India and is directly linked to poor level of hygiene, says Prof Prabhakar. Interestingly, until 1999, a person could obtain a divorce on the grounds that a spouse suffers from epilepsy , which in quite a few cases results from worm infestation. Something which is not only preventable but completely controllable with social awareness.

Tapeworm larvae are usually present in the muscles of pigs or roots of vegetables like carrot, turnip and radish. People ingest tapeworm eggs by eating unwashed vegetables and poorly cooked pork. The eggs enter the blood stream and cause havoc by creating a cyst surrounded by inflammation. In tuberculoma, infection leads to inflammation, which also like a cyst.

For cysticercosis, initial medication involves putting the patient on cystecidal drugs along with few other medicines to prevent further reactions in the brain. Even though it is effective in large number of cases, the method is not fool-proof as at times the medicines do not reach the site.

Majority of the tuberculoma cases, if diagnosed in time, are treatable. Prof Prabhakar, however, says with increase in AIDS cases, tuberculoma to is becoming difficult to treat.

As far as Cysticercosis is concerned, prevention is better than cure, says Dr Prabhakar There are instances when harmless looking meals have resulted in trichinosis followed by cysticercosis.

Children vaccinated against typhoid
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 31
Over 3,375 poor children in the age group of 6 to 11 years, enrolled in various government schools, were administered anti-typhoid vaccine free of cost during the immunisation camps organised by the Municipal Corporation Chandigarh in collaboration with Director Health Services and District Education Officer.

The Immunisation camps were organised against typhoid from May 28 to 30 under the centrally sponsored scheme of Swaran Jayanti Shahiri Rozgar Yojana (SJSRY). In the first phase, children studying in government schools in the colonies of Labour colony 4 and 5, Kajheri, Palsora, Maloya, Dhanas and Dadu Majra were covered.

Typhoid, which is a water-borne disease, spreads widely in these colonies, especially during rainy season and this vaccine will help them acquire immunisation for three years. Paramedical staff of various dispensaries and principals and teachers of various schools in these colonies provided cooperation and assistance in organising these camps.

SPORTS

High altitude training camp for CFA boys
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, May 31
The young trainees of the Chandigarh Football Academy will have an high altitude training camp at Dharamshala (HP) from June 1 to 15. According to the UT Sports Department sources, the 15-day camp to be held at Sports Authority of India Training Centre will have stress physical conditioning part alongwith endurance of the boys. The boys were inducted in the academy which began last year in August 2000 when UT Administrator Lt Gen (retd) J.F.R. Jacob evinced keen interest to promote football. Sources said the weeding out process among trainees will also begin soon and new trainees will be selected on the basis of the selection trials to be held in Chandigarh next month. The boys will be accompanied by the academy coaches and one physical instructor. After the camp the boys will be given 10 days off before joining back at Sector 42 academy in the last week of June.

Harinder advances

Harinder Pal Singh of Yadavindra Public School, SAS Nagar currently on tour to Selangor (Malaysia) alongwith two more boys from above school for Milo All Star Malaysian Junior Open Squash Meet, today advanced into the last eight of the under-13 singles event. As per fax message received here, Harinder a Class VII student, avenged his last year’s defeat in Indian Junior Open at the hands of Jai Bhagat of Mumbai (India) by disposing him off in three games at 9-0, 9-7, 9-2. Now Harinder was the only Indian left out of total seven who took part in under-13 section who will be flexing his muscles in the quarter-final.

Handball championship

The Air Force Handball championship will be held at 12 Wing Air Force Station from June 1 to 7. Eight teams will take part in this meet to be organised on league-cum-knockout basis. The teams have been divided into two pools A and B. ‘A’ includes Central Air Command (CAC), Maintenance Command (MC), South Western Command (SWAC) and Southern Air Command (SAC) while ‘B’ consists of Western Air Command (WAC), Eastern Air Command (EAC), Training Command (TC) and Air Headquarters. On the basis of the performance in the above meet, AF team for the Inter-Services Handball championship to be held at Pune in August this year will be selected. The championship will be inaugurated by Air Cmde V.S. Govindarajan, Air Officer Commanding 12 Wing AF at 5 pm.

Cricket tourney

Satluj Public School, Panchkula and St Xavier’s School, Sector 6, Panchkula, moved ahead to meet each other in the final of the under-16 District Schools Cricket Championship played here today at Sector 5 Cricket Grounds. Satluj School defeated DC Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 7, Panchkula, by 66 runs while St Xavier’s School overpowered Army Public School by 93 runs in their respective semi-finals tie.

Brief scores: Ist match — SPS-Pkl: 207 runs for seven wickets (Puneet Sharma 58, Tejwinder Gill 29, Harjit Singh 26, Pawan Kumar 23, Varun Jain 4 for 25). DC Model SS —141 runs all out in 26.4 overs (Deepak Chikara 35, Pawan Chikara 28 n.o., Harjit Singh 4 for 18).

IInd match: St Xaviers’s 215 runs for seven wickets in 35 overs (Shiva Mehta 66, Jeffrey Laing 25, Saurav Sharma 25, Amit 20, Ambesh Bhaskar 2 for 37, Dhawal 2 for 57).

APS: 122 runs all out in 22 overs (Ashish Kumar 22, Dhawal Lekhi 17, Jeffrey Laing 3 for 34, Sukhvinder Singh 2 for eight).

Sidhu is psychologist of Indian team
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, May 31
Dr Jatinder Pal Sidhu, Sports Psychologist, Indian Hockey Federation, will accompany the Indian men hockey team as psychologist for the three nations test series beginning from June 2. Dr Sidhu, who is working as Joint Director, Sports, UT, said the first test series would be held from June 2 to 8 in Malaysia followed by test series in Australia from June 9 to 13, then at New Zealand from June 14 to 25.

Dr Sidhu had also gone with the Indian men hockey team in Bangladesh few months back when India won gold medal after beating Pakistan in the final of the Prime Minister Gold Cup Hockey Meet. Apart from 18 players and Dr Sidhu, Cedric D’ Souza will go as chief coach, CR Kumar as assistant coach and Saju Joseph as physical trainer.

Today’s sports events

ITF satellite Masters tennis meet-CLTA, Sector 10 — finals 10 am. Swimming meet — Sector 23 Government Yoga Centre swimming pool. North Zone Junior Badminton Camp — 6.00 am and 5 pm — PU gymnasium hall, Sector 12.

ADMINISTRATION

Mayor ‘appeasing’ BJP-SAD councillors
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 31
Even though six meetings of the House have been called by the Mayor, Mr Raj Kumar Goyal, from the beginning of this year, yet except for getting the MC budget passed he has not been able to get any other item on the agenda approved. However, to ensure that developmental work does not suffer, the Mayor has been able to get as many as 20 odd works, where the proposed cost estimates are less than Rs 20 lakh, approved by the vital Finance and Contract Committee.

Sources disclose that the Mayor has adopted a strategy of getting some of the major developmental works passed in parts from the F and CC for he very well knew that in view of their minority in the House, it will not be easy for him to get the same passed in the House till he enjoys the confidence of majority BJP-SAD councillors. Nearly 20 agenda items pertaining to the development of roads, sewerage, storm water, public health and horticulture having budget estimates of more than Rs 10 lakh and less than Rs 20 lakh have been passed by the F and CC committees.

Of these, six pertain to the recarpeting of six V-6 roads in the city. Rough cost estimates of Rs 15.65 lakh has been passed for the road in Sector 27-D; Rs 17.38 lakh in Sector 22-C, Rs 17.22 lakh in Sectors 5 C and D; Rs 14.35 lakh in Sector 34 C, Rs 14.48 lakh in 34-D and Rs 11.48 lakh in Sector 4.

The Mayor has also been able to get a large number of items regarding the developmental works in his own ward passed. This includes a budget estimate of Rs 16.55 lakh for recarpeting the road from Kalka to Mauli Jagran; Rs 13.90 lakh for providing storm water drainage in Pipliwala town, Rs 15.27 lakh for recarpeting the main road in Mauli Jagran and a rough cost estimate of Rs 18.87 lakh for installing a new tubewell in Phase III Mauli Jagran colony. .

Similarly, he has also got quite a few developmental works passed in the ward of the Senior Deputy Mayor, Mr Gurcharan Dass Kala. These are an estimate of Rs 15.27 lakh for the recarpeting of the main road in Mani Majra market and Rs 17.94 lakh for the recarpeting of the old Ropar road till the dispensary.

Few works in the wards of his other Congress councillors have also been approved in these meetings.

For instance an estimate of Rs 10.40 lakh has been passed for undertaking recarpeting work in Ram Durbar, Phase-II roads and a sum of Rs 19.70 lakh for recarpeting the roads in Phase I and III. Even in the ward of the other councillor, Ms Suneeta estimates of Rs 14.36 lakh have been passed for recarpeting the roads in the transport area.

The works in the wards of some of the BJP councillors have also been passed. The proposed estimate of Rs 19.99 lakh has been approved for providing storm water drainage in Maloya colony, the ward of BJP councillor, Mr Kanhya Lal. A sum of Rs 19.48 lakh has been passed for undertaking recarpetting of the road fron Hind Motors to Pasco Motors in the ward of councillor Mr Rajender Kumar. For strengthening and carpeting the roads in Burail village, which is in BJP councillor Bachan Singh’s ward, Rs 16 lakh stands passed. An amount of Rs 19.54 lakh has been passed for recarpeting the V-3 road between Sectors 31 and 47, which is again in BJP councillor Ms Ranjana Shahi’s ward.

However, among the agendas which have not been taken up in the House during the past five months due to mutual bickerings among the councillors, there are some which concern the public directly. The issues which stand deferred pertain to the amendment of water byelaws, modernisation of slaughter house, privatisation of public toilets and mobile toilet vans and the item regarding replacement of old pumping machinery at the Sector 32 water works.

It may be recalled that the officials of the Public Health Wing had five months back put in the 83 rd meeting of the F and CC an estimate of Rs 68.70 lakh for the replacement of the old machinery.

Subordinate services, ESI workers protest
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, May 31
Hundreds of members of the UT Subordinate Services Federation held a gate rally in front of the maintenance office here today. They were protesting against the inability of the Chandigarh Administration to fulfil their long pending demands. They demanded the grant of 4 years’ bonus, regularisation of daily wagers and grant of DA, stop privatisation move of public sectors, filling of vacant posts.

On the call of the Employees State Insurance Corporation Employees Federation, New Delhi, employees of ESI Corporation throughout Punjab, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir observed pay boycott for the month of May. The employees were protesting against the non-implementation of the recommendation of the pay committee.