HEALTH

Special clinics for haemophilics in PGI, GMCH-32 demanded
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12
The Executive Director of the Haemophillic Federation (India), Mr Ashok Verma, has underlined the need of the government support besides timely medical aid and care for the haemophilic patients. While speaking at a open clinic for haemophilic patients organised by the Haemophilic Welfare Society today, Mr Verma, who also suffers from this genetic disorder, said more than 50,000 people in the country were suffering from haemophilia out of which as many as 20 per cent were severe cases having less than one per cent of anti coagulation factor (ACF) in their blood and require treatment worth thousands per month.

Mr Verma also stressed for better diagnosis and education for the patients and their families and underlined the need for the government to provide essential support in the form of providing some quantity of AHF to the haemophilics. At present , the society imports the required medicines from abroad and distributes them through its 62 chapters all over the country.

The PGI Emiretus Professor, Dr J.G. Jolly, who is also the Chairman of Haemophilic Welfare Society said adequate thrust must be given to quality products so that the misery of haemophillic patients was not aggravated. “AHF-8 and 9 and cryopreciptates should be from the right source and not commercialised,” he added.

Dr Jolly also stressed for coordinated committee of haemophilics including a clinician, physician, orthopaedic surgeon, blood transfusion specialist and a psychiatrist to look after the needs of haemophilics in totality. The PGI could provide a forum for such a committee, said Dr Jolly while adding that he would soon propose this to the PGI Director.

Mr Lokinder Singh (25), a painter and astrologer by profession and who along with his two brothers, Rupinder Singh and Harpreet Singh, are all severe case of haemophilics also lamented on inadequate government support. “Our misfortune is not that we are haemophilics but the fact that we are born where there is virtually no support for those suffering from this disorder,” he said.

Haemophilics also suffer from orthopaedic problems as when a healthy person receives an injury, a clot consisting of fibrin and other particles forms a plug and cements itself to the opening in the blood vessel thereby stopping the flow of blood.

According to the specialists, fibrin is produced through a series of chemical reactions. And a heamophilic’s blood contains insufficient amounts of specific chemicals to trigger the first link in the chain of reaction.

When left untreated, severe haemophilics suffer from crippling arthritis in one or more joints by early adolescence which later worsens further. With the help of Laser surgery, correction of deformity, maintenance, improving motion and subsequent strengthening of muscles is now possible .

The members of the executive committee also stressed on the need to open special clinics exclusively for haemophilic patients at the PGI and GMCH, Sector 32, on the pattern of thalassamic patients.

Dr V.K. Chahbra and Dr Subhash Verma talked to the patients and answered their questions while Dr Pankaj Malhotra and Dr S.S. Gill checked up patients. Forty two patients were also vaccinated against hepatitis-B.

Health authorities to launch big offensive
A.S. Prashar
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12
The UT health authorities plan to launch a big offensive on the health front immediately after the Independence Day celebrations on August 15.

To begin with, a campaign is being launched to check the hygiene and sanitary conditions in Chandigarh’s burgeoning hotel and restaurant industry. Thousands of hotels, restaurants, dhabas, bakeries, eateries, fast food joints and tea-stalls have sprung up in the city over the years. All of them seem to be doing brisk business. The health authorities believe that a large number of them are not maintaining proper hygiene. Little wonder, many of them have become a source of infection for a variety of diseases.

It has therefore been decided to visit the premises of every eating establishment in the UT to check on sanitation and hygiene as also the staff engaged in the preparation and service of food items, according to Dr Rameshwar Chander, Director, Health, UT.

In addition to running a check on hotels and restaurants, the drive is also likely to settle a running feud the UT Health Department has with the health officials in the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. While the corporation health officials assert that they are in charge of the city's health services, the UT Health Department says the corporation officials have no role to play in it. It is pointed out that before the formation of the Municipal Corporation, Medical Officer, Health, used to look after sanitation, births and deaths and Prevention of Food Adulteration Act.

Now with the formation of the corporation, all these functions stood transferred to the UT Health Department. The health officials of the corporation continue to act on their own. The issue has been discussed at more than one meeting of the UT Health Department and the corporation health officials, but the matter has remained unresolved so far.

Under the Prevention of Food Adulteration Rules, the Health Department alone is empowered to issue a licence to manufacture, sell, stock, distribute or exhibit for sale any article of food, including prepared food or ready-to-serve food.

Curïously enough, the health officials of the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation have been issuing unauthorised “chits” to establishments dealing in food items, which are displayed by them as a kind of “licence”. Interestingly, the “chits” issued by the corporation officials take care to mention that this should not be treated as a “licence” .

PGI plans action against agent
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12
The PGI administration is planning to initiate stern action against a customs house agent who has not been releasing many medical consignments for the past three months, according to the PGI Deputy Director Administration, Ms Mita Lochchan.

The agent, who is based in New Delhi, has reportedly been keeping these consignments, including medicines, that have a short- term expiry dates, besides essential spares for many PGI equipment and is worth several lakhs.

In this regard, the PGI Administration is planning to take the help of the police and also write to the Customs Commissioner, seeking his intervention into the release of these expensive essentials for the hospital and taking action against the agent

According to the officials, the PGI has paid the necessary duty and completed all formalities, but the agent, whose term with the PGI finished a few weeks back, continues to cause problems for the PGI authorities.

Custom house agents are the licensed private operators who play a vital role between the Customs Department and the institutions hiring them in helping them clear their foreign consignments.

Automatic phone exchange for GH-16
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12
The Sector 16 General Hospital will soon get a new automatic telephone exchange . According to the officials, in the absence of a telephone exchange the hospital has virtually been cut off for patients and their relatives for almost five years now. In the absence of EPABX and the associated intercom facility, the officials too have difficulty in establishing a contact with different sections of the hospital.

According to the Director, Health Services, Dr Rameshwar Chander, the decision has been taken after a through scrutiny of the five contenders for this job by the technical appraisal committee and process of wiring and fitting for the new exchange has already begun. Except the reception, offices of the DHS and the Medical Superintendent, other telephone lines can be accessed through the EPABX.

SPORTS

Overall trophy for Hansraj Public School
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, August 12
Hansraj Public School, Sector 6, romped home with overall trophy for second consecutive year in the 2nd Inter Schools Badminton Tournament organised by the District Badminton Association, Panchkula, that concluded this evening at Sector 7 community centre, Panchkula. School teams from SAS Nagar, Chandigarh and Panchkula took part in the tournament. In the pulsating finals played late evening, Hansraj boys overpowered St John’s, Sector 26, in under 14 section. The first singles went in favour of Prateek Mittal, who outplayed Adhriraj Neogi, while in doubles Prerak Sharma and Prateek proved to be too good for the combination of A. Neogi and Bhavesh and finally HPS won at 2-0. The Under 19 boys trophy went to DAV School, Sector 8, boys.

Earlier, girls Under 10 title was bagged by Little Flower School, Panchkula, while HPS girls remained the runner-up. The under 10 boys title was bagged by HPS boys and Akshat Mahajan was the youngest player in the section, who stole the show with his fine game play. The Under 14 girls title went in favour of Little Flower School, which were represented by Kannu and Pallavi Aggarwal, both sisters.The girls Under 19 title was clinched by Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, when Isha Sharma played a pivotal role in helping her school team win the title.

St Stephen’s lift trophy

St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, overpowered Yadvindra Public School, SAS Nagar, at 2-1 to lift the Fanta Fiesta Football Tournament played here today at the Football Stadium, Sector 17. Mayank Kapoor and Sahil scored one goal each for the winners while for losers, Abhay Tiwari scored the lone goal. The basketball meet will begin from tomorrow at Sector 7 sports complex with 14 teams drawn from different schools of the city vying for top honours.

Meanwhile, the yesterday’s incident at the Football Stadium, Sector 17, where two rival teams — SD Public School, Sector 32 and Sanjay Senior Secondary School, Sector 44 — were involved in an imbroglio. The principal of the SD Public School today said the moment a goal was scored the supporters of the Sanjay School entered and started beating up the goalkeeper of the SD Public School.

They said the organisers did not intervene to prevent the fight. Sanjay School boys also carried flagrods as alleged by SD Public School and according to them, Raj Kumar remained an ex-student of Sanjay School, so to settle scores, they planned the attack. SD authorities also criticised the organisers and said they never tried to prevent the incident and whole purpose of holding tournament was lost. It was also alleged by SD school that Dinesh Sharma was among the seven-member technical committee that disqualified both the teams.

DAV students win titles
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, August 12
Mahima and Dev Saini of DAV Public School, Sector 8, bagged the cadet girls and boys titles, respectively, in the Manav Mangal Open Table Tennis Tournament which began at the Sector 23 TT hall here today.

The tournament is being played according to the new scoring system. More than 300 players from the region are taking part in this meet, the prizes of which are sponsored by the Lions Club Chandiagrh Central.

The tournament was inaugurated by Mr Brahmjit Kalia, District Education Officer, UT. In the special matches for Lions Club members held, Sanjay Sardana outplayed Rajiv Jain in the finals 9-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8.

Results: — Cadet girls: final (Under-12) — Mahima (DAVPS-8) b Guneet Kaur (BV-27) 11-8,11-5,11-8,7-11,11-6); boys — Dev Saini (DAVPS-8) b Sumit Kumar (MM-21) 11-7, 11-6, 11-7, 11-8).

Semi-finals: girls — Guneet Kaur (BV-27) b Sunanda (DAVPS-8) 11-7, 6-11, 11-9, 11-6; Mahima (DAVP-8) b Shelja ( Sangrur) 11-4,11-6,11-5; boys — Sumit Kumar (MM-21) b Manik (DAVPS-8) 11-5,12-10,11-8 and Dev Saini (DAVPS-8) b Jayasurya( St John’s-26) 11-4,11-8,11-4.

Probables

The Panchkula District Cricket Association today selected 25 probables for the under-19 team after trials at Satluj Public School, Sector 4, Panchkula.

The selected players will have to attend a week-long coaching camp starting tomorrow under the guidance of Ashish Sharma and Jaswinder Singh. The final team will be selected on August 18 after considering the performance of the probables during the camp, according to the secretary of the association.

The team will play the first match of the Haryana State Inter-District Cricket Tournament on August 19 against Chandigarh at Panchkula.

The probables: Umesh Kaira, Vishal Sahni, Sunny Sharma, Tejwinder Gill, Narinder Chawla, Manas, Rahul Kamboj, Vikas, Deepak, Karan Kashyap, Gaurav Sood, Vivek Walia, Arvind Rawat, Karan Sharma, Aman Verma, Varun Jain, Ajay Bhardwaj, Ravi Shankar, Puneet Sharma, Amit Kumar, Pankaj, Abhinav Chandel, Amanpreet, Bhalendra, Nitin Joshi.

Riyasat, Monika win titles
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, August 12
Riyasat Ansari and Monika Khanna won the men’s and women’s titles, respectively, in the first Panchkula District Carrom Championship, which concluded at Saupin’s School, here today.

Mr Derek N. Gomez, Head Master of the school, gave away the prizes.

The results (all finals):

Men: Riyasat Ansari beat Akhtar Sultan, 25-17, 2-25, 25-8.

Women: Monika Khanna beat Diksha Jain (St. Stephen’s School, Panchkula) 25-0.

Junior boys: Aman Luthra beat Saurabh Sharma 25-12.

Junior girls: Nitika Budhiraja (Little Flower Convent School, Panchkula) beat Shiva (Manav Mangal School, Panchkula) 25-0.

Subjunior boys: Sachin Jishtu (DAV Sr. Sec. School, Panchkula) beat Piyush (Manav Mangal School, Panchkula) 19-17.

Subjunior girls: Suguna Dewan (Bhawan Vidyalaya) beat Sneha Bansal (D C Model Sr. Sec. School, Panchkula) 23-6.

Results: sub-junior boys: Sachin Jishtu b Piyush 19-17; semi-finals: Piyush b Ankur Bajaj 25-15; Sachin b Prince 22-0; women: finals: Monika Khanna b Diksha Jain 25-0; semi-finals: Monika b Divya 25-0; Diksha Jain b Joshita 25-0; junior girls: finals: Nitika Budhiraja b Shiva 25-0; semi-finals: Shiva b Surbhi 11-5; Nitika b Pallavi 14-0; sub-junior girls: finals: Suguna Dewan b Sneha Bansal 23-6. semi-finals: Sneha Bansal b Mansi 9-3; Suguna b Vanita 25-0; men: finals: Riyasat Ansari b Akhtar Sultan 25-17, 2-25, 25-8; semi finals: Riyasat b Tanuj 25-5; Akhtar b Amanpreet 25-0 junior boys: finals: Aman Luthra b Saurabh Sharma 25-12; semi-finals: Saurabh b Rinku Bansal 25-9; Aman b Raman 25-6.

England beat India in roller hockey
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 12
The second roller hockey match between the teams of England and India was played under floodlights at Kailash Bahl DAV School, Sector 7, here today.

In the match, which saw children cheering both sides with equal gusto, England outplayed India 10-2, with half-time score being 5-1. Jesianson was the top scorer for the visitor with four goals, while for India Nirmal Nanda scored both goals.

Earlier, the Chief Guest, Director, Instructions, (Schools), UT, Mr D.S. Saroya, appreciated the efforts of the school in producing skaters of national level. He said the UT Education Department was planning to use the school skating rink for organising national level school games. He applauded the principal of the school for setting up good infrastructure and imparting quality education.”

The evening started with a colourful cultural programme. The first item presented by the students was a welcome song ‘Swagatam’. Students enthralled the audience with their performance in Rajasthani folk dance and Punjabi song ‘Saun Di Jhadi’. 

SPORTS ROUND-UP
Specialised academies in city
Arvind Katyal

The games though now postponed from September by another two months will, however, give time to the organisers to complete the pending works but the calendar of the national sports federations and of many sportpersons who have to compete abroad will again be disturbed.

ADMINISTRATION

Park games corner likely to be functional soon
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, August 12
The games corner for children in the Silvi Park in Phase X here is likely to become functional again soon.

After sitting on the relevant file for more than a year, the Directorate of Local Government, Punjab, has at last accorded sanction to the local Municipal Council to give the running of the facilities in the children’s corner on contract to a private party for a five-year period, with an annual hike of 10 per cent in the amount settled at the time of the auction. The council has decided to give an advertisement in newspapers inviting those interested to an open auction in this regard.

The facilities available in the children’s corner include a toy train, boats and a merry-go-round. A canteen is also planned to be opened this time.

The playing equipment had been rotting away after the private contractor concerned refused to run the show on the basis of a mere one-year agreement. He had argued that in view of the financial investment to be made, the contract period must be increased substantially so that reasonable profits may accrue.

After the contractor left, council officials tied the boats in the pool in the children’s corner to prevent these from being used. However, this did not stop the children from using the boats. The authorities then emptied the pool to prevent a possible mishap.

Since the council was not authorised to give a contract for more than a year at a time, it referred the matter to the Directorate. Reminders were sent from time to time to the Directorate to take an early decision but these failed to move it.

In view of the inordinate delay in taking the decision, children visiting the garden were deprived of the facilities in the park and the condition of the playing equipment also deteriorated. The equipment will now have to be first repaired before the new contractor takes over that is if the civic body gets the desired response to the auction.

Admn undecided on convening MCC meeting
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 12
The Chandigarh Administration today remained undecided on the issue of whether to convene the Municipal Corporation of Chandigarh meeting for holding Mayoral election or not as ‘’legal opinion’’ on the issue has yet to crystallise. “There are legal issues involved in the matter, hence no comment on the issue of holding the meeting and when,’’ the Deputy Commissioner, Mr Ramashekhar, told Chandigarh Tribune here today.

The meeting of the corporation for election was adjourned after the BJP and the acting Congress Mayor, Mr Gurcharan Dass Kala, challenged the authority of the presiding officer, Mr Harish Bhanot, to convene an adjourned meeting after Mr Bhanot announced break in the meeting for giving latecomers an opportunity to come for vote. The Secretary, Local Bodies and Home, Mr R.S. Gujral, told Chandigarh Tribune that the Municipal Commissioner’s report on the issue has not yet reached him. He also emphasised that the legality of the issue needed to be examined before the Administration took any decision.

Mr Gujral also indicated that the issue of the dissolution of the House still remained undecided and the issues of Mayoral election and the dissolution of the House might not be interlinked.

He also did not indicate on whether the corporation meeting would be held or not and when and whether the dissolution process was under consideration or not.