HEALTH

‘70 pc of HIV infection due to ignorance’
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 29
“About 10 to 12 million Indians are suffering from AIDS and 90 per cent of them do not know that they are suffering from the deadly disease”, Dr J.S.Gilada, Secretary General of the Peoples Health Organisation, said during the 26th Public Health Lecture on ‘AIDS in India’. It was organised by the Health Education Cell of Dayanand Medical College and Hospital at Dumra Auditorium here last evening.

Dr Gilada said HIV was taking the form of an epidemic but no serious efforts were being made by the government to control it. He suggested that the only way to curb HIV was to create awareness among the masses. In India, 70 per cent of HIV infection was due to ignorance.

“The spread of AIDS has been controlled with the help of NGOs in Mumbai, which is said to be the capital of AIDS. From the past few years, the figures of HIV-infected patients are static”, added Dr Gilada. He said the only ways to check the disease were health education, partner reduction, prenatal screening, safe blood transfusion, survey of population at risk, early diagnosis and appropriate medical guidance with supportive care.

Health awareness campaign
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, July 29
The Bharat Jan Gyan Vigyan Jatha in association with the Eco Club of the Ramgarhia Senior Secondary School for Boys organised a function as part of a health awareness campaign on the school premises here yesterday.

The function started with paying homage to the Kargil martyrs by observing a silence for two minutes and presentation of patriotic songs by students and staff of the school.

Major Sher Singh Aulakh said Kargil war was forced on us in which hundreds of our soldiers laid down their lives to defend the integrity of the country. Dr Arun Mitra, general secretary of jatha, apprised the students of communicable diseases such as gastroenteritis, cholera, typhoid, jaundice, malaria, viral fever and dengue prevalent in the city these days. He said over 12.5 per cent of deaths in the city occurred due to these diseases.

These could be prevented by providing good public healthcare system and taking precautions for personal hygiene. He stressed the use of boiled water and the use of chlorine to disinfect it, use mosquito nets, anti-mosquito sprays and repellents. Pamphlets were distributed among the students for spreading information regarding communicable diseases.

SPORTS

Probables for PCA tourney
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana July 29
Thirtyfour players were selected for the PCA Coaching Scheme (U-14) by the Ludhiana District Cricket Association (LDCA) during the trials conducted at the Arya College for Boys grounds on Saturday.

These players have been asked to report to Mr Satish Mangal, member selection committee, Punjab (Junior Boys), at Arya College on July 30 at 3.30 p m. From these players, the Ludhiana team will be selected for the Punjab State Inter- District Cricket Tournament for the Sushil Bali Trophy to be organised by the Punjab Cricket Association, according to Mr Vinod Chitkara, honorary general secretary, Ludhiana District Cricket Association.

The players are:- Chinton Sehgal, Dushyant Kohli, Sushyant Kohli, Savneet Singh, Tarun Passi, Gagandeep Dhand, Yogesh, Sarang Vaid, Gaurav Dawar, Atul Kohli, Paras Bassi, Vineet Sehgal, Sapnesh Sikka, Mukul Gupta, Gurmeet Singh, Vishal Passi, Arashdeep Gill, Bharat Malhotra, Karan Bricher, Rajat Pruthi, Apinder Singh, Vikram Beri, Karan Bawa, Hitesh Malhotra, Harpartap Singh, Abhishek, Pankaj Kumar, Jasneet Singh, Arjun Puri, Ashish Verma, Taranjit, Lalit Malhotra, Jagjit Singh and Gurpreet Singh Sahota.