HEALTH

Male infertility — the real picture
Chitleen K. Sethi
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19
Can men with no sperms have children? The answer to this question cannot be a simple yes or no. According to doctors running the male infertility clinic at the PGI here, an understanding of some of the common problems, which so-called sterile males suffer from, can answer many such questions and in turn also reduce the chances of being cheated by unscrupulous private practitioners who can, in such cases, easily fleece patients due to their lack of knowledge.

“A male who has no sperms in his ejaculate is said to be an azoospermia male. The reason for this can be either that the male has an obstruction in his vas deferens (the tubes which connect the sperm-producing testes to the urinary passage) or that his testes are for some reason not producing any sperms. In the former condition, which is called obstructive azoospermia, doctors specialising in such treatment are successfully able to remove blockages in these tubes and treat the male”, explains Dr A.K. Mandal, in charge of this clinic.

In the latter case, when it is found that the testes are not producing any sperms, doctors find out if the testes have any sperm-producing cells (called germ cells) or not. If the male does not have any germ cells, he is told that he cannot have any children as there is no known treatment for men who do not have germ cells in their testes. In such cases the couple is advised to go in for sperm donation or adoption.

However, in case, where the male has germ cells in his testes, but they are not producing sperms, there are techniques under which these cells can be harvested out of the male testes and made to function thereby producing sperms. For males who have sperms in their ejaculate but are still unable to have children, a sperm count is done which shows the total number of sperms per ml of semen and the motility of these sperms.

If the number of normally motile sperms is larger than 20 million sperms per ml, the number is considered sufficient for normal fertilisation to occur. In such cases the couple is checked for any antibodies being produced in either the male or the female which is causing infertility which is then treated.

But if the number of normally motile sperms is less than 20 million per ml but more than 5 million per ml, a technique called the IUI (intra-uterine insemination) is used where the insemination is done using a special device. The success rate of fertilisation in such cases is 30 per cent after multiple attempts.

If the number of normally motile sperms is between 5 million per ml and 3 million per ml, in vitro fertilisation or IVF is done, also called the production of a test-tube baby. The success rate of fertilisation in such cases is as high as 30 per cent using multiple attempts.

In the number of sperms is less than 3 million per ml, a relatively new technique known as ICSI (intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection) is used where the ovum is physically punctured or holed in to insert sperm into it. Theoretically, even a single sperm is sufficient for fertilisation using this technique. And the success rate of fertilisation in such a case is close to 100 per cent.

“But what many persons fail to realise is that the rate of successful fertilisation is very different from the rate of a successful fertilisation leading to a pregnancy which is much lower. Lower still is the rate of carry home babies born from such pregnancies. For all these techniques, the rate of carry home babies is as low as 30 per cent even in the best infertility clinics in the world. And if anyone is claiming otherwise, it is a simple case of cheating.” says Dr A.K. Goswami of the Department of Urology, PGI.

And cheating such patients, who are in a state of mind to undergo anything and undertake any cost to have a child, is a rather common thing. Starting from the simple use of someone’s else’s sperm for fertilisation without the knowledge of the couple to demanding large amounts of money from patients for procedures or techniques which are otherwise not required. Many patients have problems which are easily and inexpensively treated like infections or Varicocele, which cause poor quality semen and low sperm motility causing sterility. But the patient is told that he will have to undertake IVF or ICSI which are costly techniques and the patient ends up paying through his nose for these, doctors point out.

IMA flays move on land for nursing homes
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19
The Indian Medical Association, Chandigarh State Branch and the Chandigarh Nursing Home and Private Hospitals Association have strongly criticised the move of the Chandigarh Administration to unilaterally rescind “The Allotment of land for Nursing Homes Scheme 1999”.

According to a press note issued by the President of IMA in Chandigarh, this scheme had been made in consultation with representatives of medical professionals of the city in which nursing homes already existent but not fulfilling criterion laid down by the administration were to be allotted these sites preferentially. “These sites were to be allotted at Rs 75,00,000 per kanal, which in itself was exorbitant, but now with the Administration’s new order of an open auction, the Administration seemingly wants to generate even more revenue,” says Dr Neeraj Kumar, Honorary Treasurer of the IMA and Secretary of the Chandigarh Nursing Home and Private Hospitals Association.

IMA representatives and the representatives of the Chandigarh Nursing Home and Private Hospitals association have also pointed out that health and education are both mentioned as fundamental rights in our Constitution. “While on one side the Administration gives school sites at Rs 1,800 per square yard on allotment basis, on the other it regards Rs 15,000 per square yard for nursing home sites as less and hence the justification for an open auction” lament these doctors.

Condemning this move of the Administration for its short sightedness of equating health services with guest houses, marble trade, and unauthorised aeromechanics, these doctors state that private-sector-qualified medical professionals had already been suffering due to quacks, dais and registered medical practitioners (RMps) in and around the city.

These associations have requested that nursing homes already existent, but not fulfilling criterion for conversion should be allotted these sites on a preferential basis at a subsidised price and the remaining sites may thereafter be allotted to medical professionals wanting to start new nursing homes.

Donors for PGI ‘langar’, beware!
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19
The PGI has taken a serious view of reports that an organisation by the name of ‘Bhai Kanhaiya Daily Langar Sewa’ has been collecting money from the public in the name of the PGI, saying that it was providing free food service to attendants of patients at the PGI.

The PGI has asked the public to be wary of such an organisation. The service run by Mr Jagdish Lal Ahuja, providing free food to patients’ attendants near the car parking and the Mansa Devi Langar Bhandara located at the PGI Rotary Sarai are the only two authorised free food services at the PGI.

SPORTS

Gayatri to lead lady golfers
Our Sports Reporter

Gayatri said National Games this year are going to be held at Hyderabad. If the number of participants turned out to be adequate, then ladies event will be held and Chandigarh stands a good chance to prove its metle.

Digvijay, Amit enter final
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, April 19
Digvijay Singh and Amit Chauhan will face each other in the final of the under-10 boys’ section of the ongoing Total Tennis Championship played at the YMCA, Sector 11, here today in the under-12 boys’ section, Vijayant Malik will vie with Sidharth Singh in the final. In the under-12 girls’ section, Inayat Khosla, Mehak, Pavit and Janish entered the last four of the event.

The semi-finalists in various other categories were: Boys under-16 — Dilpreet Gill, Gurmeher Brar, Karan Patnaik and Arjun Talwar. Girls under-16 — Sonia Sharma, Deepti and Ujala Joshi.

Football meet

Eastern Air Command beat Southern Air Command 3-0, Training Command drew with Western Air Command 0-0 and South Western Air Command beat Central Air Command 2-1 in the Air Force Football Championship played at 3 BRD grounds, here on Friday.

Chess champion

Anmol Razdan, a Class VI student of Tender Heart School, Sector 33, won the Chandigarh chess title in his age group for third consecutive year, according to Ms Prem Suri, principal of the school. Anmol has also been selected by the Chandigarh Chess Association to represent the UT in the Nationals.

Mayor finalises panel members
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 19
The Mayor, Ms Lalit Joshi, today finalised five members each for two fact finding committees on alleged irregularities in the recruitment of firemen and reported theft from Fire Department stores.

The Congress leader in the House, Mr Subhash Chawla, a former BJP Mayor, Mr Gian Chand Gupta, Congress members namely Ms Anu Chathrath and Mr Kuldeep Singh and a nominated member, Mr Amar Kulwant Singh, figure in the committee on recruitment, it is reliably learnt.

The Congress Senior Deputy Mayor, Mr Surinder Singh, a former BJP Mayor, Ms Kamla Sharma, a Congress member, Ms Kamlesh, the Chandigarh Vikas Manch leader in the House, Mr Jitender Bhatia, and a nominated member, Mr C.K. Sahwney, are in the committee on theft in the Fire Department.

Their names have been forwarded to the Municipal Commissioner, Mr M.P. Singh.

While the fact-finding committee on the recruitment has been given a time of one month, while on theft and status of the department has been given 15 days of time from the date of notification of these committees and members. The notification is likely to be issued on Monday, sources told the Chandigarh Tribune.

The decision on the fire committee of the Municipal Corporation will be made next week. With the creation of this committee, there will be 11 committees assisting the House on regular basis for a year. The committee is likely to be given an authority of clearing expenditure up to Rs 5 lakh apart from going into the functioning of the Fire Department. This committee may also look into the finalisation of service rules for the Department which have yet not been finalised.

The committee on the theft will personally visit all fire stations, check their records, inventory, auctions made previously and may recommend lodging of an FIR, in case theft is proved. It will also present status of the department in dealing with disastrous situation and may recommend measure to improve it.

The Recruitment Fact-Finding Committee will look into the violation of rules, if any, may summon records of the tests for selection of firemen, inquire into the allegation of number of persons getting selected from Hisar district and may even conduct tests on a doubtful selected candidate if any specific doubts have been cast on a candidate.

The committee, however, will have to take the assistance of an expert from the Fire Department in case it chooses to conduct a test.

HUDA spent 80.4 crore on development
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, April 19
Over Rs 80.4 crore has been spent by the Haryana Urban Development Authority for the development of Panchkula during the past two-and-a-half years.

Stating this here today, a spokesperson of HUDA said that a total budget provision of Rs 61.47 crore had been made for the current financial year in order to undertake various development works. A Traffic Training Park for children in Sector 12 and a Sewerage Treatment Plant in Sector 20, which have recently been developed by HUDA, will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, on April 23.

HUDA had provided 3. 5 acre of land in Sector 12 to set up a traffic training park at a cost of Rs 30 lakh.

This park is equipped with different kinds of roads, pavements, traffic signs, road markings and traffic lights. It has a model library, museum, shopping complex, school, railway station for the interest of children.

The sewerage treatment plant of 27 MLD capacity was spread over an area of 16 acre. While one stream of 13. 5 MLD capacity had been constructed, the second stream of an equal capacity would be made functional by June. Of the estimated cost of Rs 2.55 crore, a sum of Rs 2. 24 crore had already been spent.

Meanwhile, the major projects completed in Panchkula include linking of Panchkula with Railway Station, construction of 30 tubewells, installation of four underground storage tanks, a 23 km water supply line. As many as 16 buildings for community centres, primary schools, higher secondary schools, police posts, police stations, shopping centre have also been constructed. 

Minister to hear land owners’ grievances
Tribune News Service

SAS Nagar, April 19
To settle pending cases regarding land in five new sectors (76 to 80) acquired by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority, the Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister, Mr Ragunath Sahai Puri, will visit Sohana shortly to listen to the grievances of land owners.

Mr Puri, who met the Advocate General and PUDA officials here today, said he was eager to settle the cases so that, planned development could take place.

The minister said he was in favour of framing a farmer-oriented policy for acquisition of land, so that, time wasted in litigation could be saved. He said he would also hold an open forum.