The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HEALTH

TB increases risk for HIV infected
Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, September 12
A majority of HIV-infected patients in the region die of secondary infection from tuberculosis. This is the finding of Dr R.S. Bhatia of Ludhiana who will present a paper on the subject at the next annual conference of the Association of Physicians of India scheduled to be held in Chennai early next year.

Dr Bhatia said his clinical experience had shown that tuberculosis was responsible for most deaths in those with HIV infection. Often two infections co-exist and were diagnosed together. Higher prevalence of TB increases the risk of tuberculosis and HIV infection and the risk becomes greater as HIV infection is escalating in India. The risk of getting HIV from unprotected sex has been aggravated by the risk of getting infection from pricks and needles in the drug-users who have become potential victims in the North-West region, he said.

Punjab has maximum number of HIV infected persons followed by Haryana and Himachal and this should alarm those concerned with the health management in this region. As the vaccine for HIV is still a distant dream and treatment is a costly affair, prevention still remains the best form of management.

Those infected need be treated for both HIV and TB by an aggressive management group. Health and sex education should be the key factors in management plan.

Dr Bhatia said clinical features of TB in HIV diseases were mostly atypical, where lungs were less affected and the disease was more disseminated to other organs. He said TB might be difficult to diagnose in AIDS, since TB had unusual presentation and lack of simultaneous histologic reaction was observed in some cases due to depressed cell mediated immunity.

AIDS has created a multitude of medical and socio-economic problems after two decades. Associated tuberculosis adds to the gravity of the complications and dangers to the community. Sex education and health education regarding adverse effects of drugs being used can prevent AIDS and its complication including tuberculosis. ICU personnel have to assume that every patient is capable of transmitting infection to them and take appropriate preventive measures. Treatment of infection with full drug dosage and proper regimen and prophylaki of healthy contactants has a very important role to play, he said.

SPORTS

Distt TT meet from Sept 20
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, September 12
The Ludhiana District Table Tennis Association (LDTTA) will conduct a three-day district championship for cadet boys and girls, sub-junior boys and girls, junior boys and girls and senior women and men from September 20 to 22 at the Shastri Table Tennis Hall here, according to a press note issued by Mr Fang Jenn Chiu, honorary general secretary, LDTTA.

Entries close on September 19 with Mr Suresh Sharma, table tennis coach. Interested paddlers are advised to produce their birth certificates along with entries. The performance during this championship will be taken into consideration while selecting the district team for the forthcoming Punjab State Inter-District Table Tennis Championship, scheduled to be held at Ludhiana in of November.

Office-bearers

Mr K. R. Lakhanpal, Principal Secretary, Finance, and Mr Krishan Goyal, Chief Engineer (retd), Punjab State Electricity Board, were elected president and general secretary, respectively, of the Punjab Bridge Association for another term of three years at a meeting of the association held here yesterday.

ADMINISTRATION

Banks not to accept ration cards as proof
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 12
The Reserve Bank of India has issued a circular to all nationalised and private banks not accept ration cards as a proof of identification at the time of opening of new accounts, including saving, current and fixed deposit accounts since number of irregularities were found in the ration cards.

The Indian National Bank Employees Congress (INBEC) has condemned the decision. It has appealed to the Finance Minister, Mr Yashwant Sinha, to issue directions to the nationalised and private banks to accept ration cards as proof of identification for opening of various accounts in the banks.

The banks are now demanding passport, voters card, credit card of any bank, income tax permanent account card, telephone bill or house tax bill for the opening of accounts. The INBEC President, Mr K.R. Tripathi, has urged the government to review this decision as it would result in lot of harassment of the new customers and loss of revenue to the banks.