The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

HEALTH

Not for nothing are they complaining
Vibha Sharma
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 4
The state-of-the-art Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, has lately been in news, but for all wrong reasons. First, there was the much publicised incidence of operation of a wrong patient due to a confusion over similar names by the ENT Department. Then there were incidents of repeated power failures while crucial operations were going on.

There have been alleged incidences of negligence and rude behaviour by doctors, nurses and hospital staff. Mr Tribhuvan Nath, anguished over the death of his young daughter Deepti, has written a detailed letter about his bitter experience in the GMCH to the Medical Superintendent, Prof Raj Bahadur, and has asked him to conduct an inquiry into what he calls, “gross negligence of doctors in the GMCH emergency ward.” Mr Nath is irritated over the callous attitude of the authorities in the hospital.

He further stated that the night Deepti had been admitted to the GMCH, power supply to the hospital had failed from 7.30 pm to 8.45 pm. “I wonder why the hospital had not installed a power generator or an invertor when such devices are commonplace even in ordinary hospitals at Chandigarh,” says Mr Nath.

He said no senior doctor was available for consultation. “Emergency unit was being handled by novices and what is worse they turn a deaf ear to the requests for calling a senior doctor and the medicine shop is located for away from the ward, adding more to the woes of the attendants of the patients.”

This is not isolated case. Recently a practicing clinician, Dr Pratibha Bhandari of Panchkula had also accused the doctors in the emergency ward of negligence which she said claimed the life of her father.

She said, “despite his condition deteriorating and my repeated requests to the doctors to start with the treatment immediately and give the patient much needed oxygen support, fourty-five golden minutes were wasted. And by then, it was too late and he did not recover.”

She said not only were the doctors, nurses, and supporting staff on duty negligent, their behaviour was extremely rude. “We are certainly not taught this in the medical school,” she said.

When contacted, Prof Raj Bahadur said he had received a letter from Mr Tribhuvan Nath. He said they had conducted an inquiry into the matter. The doctors and nurses who were on duty during that period in the emergency ward have denied all allegations, he said.

He admitted that the location of the medicine shop was indeed a problem which the authorities were looking into. There is a plan on the anvil to have a medicine counter in the “A block”, near emergency, he said.

Professor Raj Bahadur admitted that doctors, nurses and other staff on duty should be courteous and polite “But our problem is overcrowding. On any given day, the 18-bedded emergency ward is looking after 50 to 60 critically ill patients. The hospital bed capacity is insufficient. We have 250 beds whereas the average number of patients admitted varies from 400 to 450,” he said.

PGI to charge security amount for trolleys
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 4
Concerned over the problems faced by the patients and officials because of the non availability and poor condition of the patient trolleys and wheel chairs, PGI is planning to follow the pattern of its counterpart in New Delhi — AIIMS — and also charge token amount as security before releasing a trolley to the patient.

This, PGI officials say, would ensure that the trolleys and wheel chairs are returned to the issuing counter well in time and in good condition.

On August 24, the Chandigarh Tribune had carried report on how attendants were finding it difficult to get trolleys and wheel chairs. And while one of the causes was their limited number as compared to the massive number of patients, another was that at times, attendents left these at far off places making it difficult for the PGI staff to retrieve them.

Sources say the proposal for charging security money has already been forwarded. Besides this, the PGI Administration is also planning to buy about a 100 new patient trolleys, a committee has also been ‘constituted for the purpose and a tender is expected to be floated shortly.

The PGI has about 100 wheel chairs and 246 patient trolleys. Officials say that out of these, 100 trolleys are with the main reception which operates the new OPD and the wards in the Nehru Hospital. The emergency ward has about 150 trolleys. Keeping in mind the patient load the hospital gets every day these are clearly not sufficient,. However, having too many of these also has its own problems as this leads to overcrowding of the corridors and other areas making it difficult for doctors and patients to move about.

SPORTS

Sandy Lehal wins No Alibi Golf
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 4
One hundred and five golfers took part in a unique — No Alibi Golf Tournament held at the Chandigarh Golf Club. This tournament is peculiar, instead of deducting the handicap at the end of the round, each player is allowed to replay during the round the number of shots equalling three quarters of his handicap. A stroke replayed must be used even if it is worse than the original. It cannot be replayed a second time.

All players played to 3/4 of their handicap. The tee off was at 7.30 a.m. in the morning. The winners were as per their respective age. For this seven age-groups were made.

Sandy Lehal won the tournament with a score of four under 68.

H.S. Kang was runner-up with 71.

The results (handicap in brackets)

Under 10 years Dhruv Avtar Singh Ghai (17) 46, Rahul Bakshi (14) 46.

Subjuniors (under 14): Rahul Sood (11) 82, Ajeetesh Sandhu (7) 83.

Juniors (under 18): Tarun Lehal (9) 74, Guneet Raikhy (3) 75.

Below 50 years: Sandy Lehal (2) 68, H.S. Kang (1) 73.

50 to 65 years: Dr J.S. Chadha (7) 79, Dr G.S. Kochhar (10) 80.

65 to 70 years: Col M.S. Narula (13) 44, S.S. Dhaliwal (14) 47.

Above 70 years: Capt Shamsher Singh (12) 42, Manmohan Singh (13) 45.

Kabaddi tourney

The Government College for Girls, Sector 11, Chandigarh won the team championship, Khalsa College, Garhdiwala (Hoshiarpur), secured second place while the MCM DAV College for women, Sector 36, Chandigarh, and the MG Khalsa College for Girls, Kottan, secured third and fourth place, respectively, in the Panjab University Inter-College Kabaddi (women) Tournament played here today.

Results — Khalsa College, Garhdiwala b MCM DAV College for Women, Chandigarh 66-56 (half time 31-30), GCG-11 b MG Khalsa College for Girls, Kottan 64-23, (half time 40-11); MCM DAV College for Women b MG Khalsa College for Women, Kottan 53-27; GCG-11, Chandigarh, b Khalsa College, Garhdiwala, 53-51 (half time 22-26).

Powerlifting meet

The Chandigarh Powerlifting team ( senior men) consisting of 15 members participated in the XXVIII Senior Men and Women National Powerlifting Championship held at Jamshedpur which concluded on September 1. The team secured two gold medals, three silver and two bronze medals and finished sixth among the 26 teams that took part in the championship.

In 90-kg class, Jagdish Singh of Public Sports club, SAS Nagar, won silver medal with a total lift of 675 kg (squat 245, bench press 170 kg, dead lift 26 kg). He also won gold medal in bench press by lifting 170 kg. In 110-kg class, Nirmaljit Singh, an international powerlifter and captain of the team who also practise at the Public Sports Club, SAS Nagar, won silver medal by lifting a total weight of 790 kg (squat 312.5 kg, bench press 172.5 kg, dead lift 305 kg).

He also secured a gold medal in deadlift with 305 kg, a silver medal in squat (312.5 kg) and a bronze medal in bench press (172.5 kg). He joined the Public Sports Club, SAS Nagar, in June this year and has an experience of 24 years in powerlifting.

Nirmaljit Singh and Jagdish Singh also won gold medals in bench press in the Open Senior Men National Powerlifting Champion-ship in respective categories. Nirmaljit Singh has also been selected to represent India in the Masters World Powerlifting Championship to be held at Moose Jaw (Canada) from October 16 to 21.

ADMINISTRATION

MC yet to get police help to tackle encroachments
Our Correspondent

SAS Nagar, September 4
Despite the alarming increase in encroachments in the town, the police has not yet provided a permanent force to the Municipal Council to assist it in tackling the menace.

The council had at a meeting on June 16 cleared a proposal to have a police force deployed on a regular basis at its office to tackle problems, including violence by offenders, faced by its staff while engaged in the removal of encroachments, stoppage of octroi evasion and the impounding of stray cattle. An ASI and four constables were to be on deputation with council for a period of one year and were to be paid by it out of its own funds.

The civic body had earlier written to the SP and the SDM, complaining that at the time of the removal of encroachments police help was often not available on time.

On August 2, the council wrote to the Ropar Deputy Commissioner urging him to instruct the Police Department to send personnel immediately to the civic body according to its demand. So far, there has been no response to the council’s letter.

The council in the letter also pointed out that there were a number of illegal taxi stands in the town. It sought the allotment of land by PUDA to such stands.

The civic body further informed the Deputy Commissioner that there were a number of autorickshaws in the town whose fare meters were not functional. As such, those plying these vehicles were fleecing passengers. The council wanted the DTO concerned to fix the fares.

The council also complained to the Deputy Commissioner that the state electricity board was not providing adequate staff for the maintenance of streetlights. It said the council had written to the PSEB in this connection but to no avail. It urged the Deputy Commissioner to ensure that the board provided the maximum staff for the work.

Lists for BPL ration cards prepared
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, September 4
In order to effectively implement orders on the public distribution system, lists of prospective beneficiaries identified by local bodies residing under the limits of each of the fair price shops have been prepared. Persons whose names appear in these lists can obtain application forms for BPL ration cards either from the fair price shop concerned or from the office of the District Food and Supplies Officer, UT.

Application forms duly completed in all respects can be submitted in the office of the officer on all working days from 9.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.

The Inspector Food and Supplies, of the area concerned will be available at one of the fair price shops of the locality from 3.30 p.m. onwards on all working days.

In case of any complaint or difficulty, the matter may be brought to the notice of the District Food and Supplies Officer, UT, personally or on telephone at No. 703956.