HEALTH

GMCH security staff resume stir
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26
The contractual security employees of the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, resumed their agitation outside the hospital here today. According to the employees, they restarted their agitation after a meeting with the authorities and the contractor failed.

While the hospital authorities stated that since they were not directly involved in the employment of these employees and the problem had to be sorted out by the new contract in alliance with the old one, they had a limited role to play.

However, the hospital authorities mediated at the meeting today between the new contractor, Nova Securities, and the representatives of employees who have been relieved due to change of contract. Sources state that the new contractor has said that he can offer jobs to not more than 60 people for the GMCH security since he had employed most of the persons already.

The employees, on the other side, are not ready to accept that only 60 of the 240 employees who have been relieved of their duties will be re-employed. They state that they will join work only when all of them are taken back.

The new contractor has set a deadline till 6 pm tomorrow for these employees to come and join through him, but only after due selections.

After the deadline he will not be considering them as candidates.

The employees have decided to continue their agitation and resort to slogans against the hospital authorities.

These employees also claim that the hospital has 214 posts of security guard and 26 posts of supervisor and since the new contractor has employed just about 100 security guards, including supervisors, at least 140 employees can be adjusted if the new contractor wants to.

The employees have also requested the Adviser to the UT Administrator, Ms Neeru Nanda, for help.

A ‘bonus’ for retired IAF personnel
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26
Retired Air Force personnel will now be able to access the world class facilities of Fortis Heart Institute after its empanelment by the Air Force Group Insurance Society. India’s most advanced hospital — Fortis Heart Institute — will now provide heart treatment to the members of the Medical Insurance Scheme. Range of heart treatments covered under this insurance are stress thallium, angiography, EPS, RF ablation test, angioplasty, balloon mitral valvotomy, open heart surgery, valve replacement, pace-maker implant and bypass surgery.

To further give impetus to this association, Dr. Jagmohan Varma, Senior Consultant, Invasive cardiology, Fortis Heart Institute, was invited by the Air Force 12 Wing, Chandigarh, to address the retired Air Force personnel from Punjab and Haryana. Over 150 retired Air Force personnel of the Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula, Ambala and nearby areas attended the seminar. Dr. Varma shared his expertise and spoke at length about the need for regular health check-ups with special focus on prevention. He also stressed on the importance of lifestyle modification for retired Air Force personnel so that everything is done in moderation.

Fortis Heart Institute, as a part of their outreach programme, has been closely associated with promoting awareness amongst the general public and the medical fraternity on “Prevention of Heart Disease and it’s Management” throughout Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu & Kashmir.

Mr Shivinder Mohan Singh, Chief Operating Officer, Fortis Heart Institute, commented: “We at Fortis are glad to be of service to the people who have served our nation. Our team of heart specialists, with experience in some of the world’s leading hospitals, will be able to deliver to them cardiac treatment comparable with the best in the world.”

Speaking on the occasion, Dr R.V. Karanjekar, Medical Director, Fortis Heart Institute, said, “People, while in defense services, lead an extremely disciplined life, after retirement the level of physical activity goes down, increasing the risk of heart related diseases. For a healthy heart, they need to carry on with regular exercises and should lead a lifestyle primarily focussed on prevention rather than cure”. 

Nagi joins as PGI Dean
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26
It is now official Prof Onkar Nath Nagi, Head of the Department of Orthopaedics, PGIMER, joined as the Dean, PGIMER, here this evening.

Prof Nagi has been appointed Dean in accordance with the decision of the Governing Body ‘s meeting held on April 10, 2002 and in compliance with the orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court today in the case of Sudha Suri vs PGIMER. The PGIMER Director issued an office order in the afternoon appointing Prof Nagi as Dean who gave his joining report in the evening. Prof Nagi has been appointed for a period of three years as Dean.

Dr Nagi’s name was revealed after a sealed envelope containing the Dean’s name was opened by a Division Bench of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

Taking up the case, the Bench, comprising Mr Justice R.L. Anand and Mr Justice Amar Dutt, directed that the PGIMER and the Union of India may act upon the recommendations of the Governing Body in accordance with rules and regulations.

The Judges also admitted the petition filed by Professor in the Department of Radiodiagnosis Dr Sudha Suri and directed that the same would be heard within six months.

In their detailed orders, the Judges observed: “The recommendations of the Director and the Governing Body have been produced before us in a sealed cover which has been opened by us for our own perusal. The Governing Body has recommended the name of Dr O.N. Nagi for the post of Dean. With this recommendation neither the case of the petitioner, nor that of another respondent, is likely to suffer.... The result of the sealed cover has been handed over to Mr Anil Malhotra, counsel for the PGIMER”.

The Judges added: “In the main writ petition, the controversy revolves around the seniority of the petitioner and another respondent. The matter requires adjudication and the writ petition is hereby admitted and will be heard within six months”. 

Stone detection camp for senior citizens
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, April 26
A two-day free prostrate and urinary stone detection camp for senior citizens by the Rotary Club of Chandigarh Midtown, will begin at SCO no 70-71, Sector 20, from tomorrow.

According to a release of the club, the camp will provide basic medical attention to suffering patients, including providing medicines, wherever recommended and possible and also to create prevention and awareness about these chronic diseases. The patients would be examined and treated by urologist Col. (retd.) Dr V.K Kapoor and Dr Anshuman Kapoor, both members of the club. Mr Indrajeet Sengupta, president of the club in the release said that patients would be treated on first-come-first-serve basis. Interested senior citizens may register themselves at the venue or phone numbers 728941, 378192, 378193 and 891138.

Health awareness camp for teenagers
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, April 26
A teenage awareness health camp was organised by the local chapter of Family Planning Association of India for the wards of policemen posted in Panchkula.

As many as 20 teenagers participated in the camp. A clinical counselling session and an interaction with the adolescents was held by the President of the FPAI, Ms Pushpa Khanna, vice-president, Ms Veena Monga, and the in charge of the Panchkula branch, Mr Amit Gupta.

Speaking on the occasion, Ms Khanna said these camps were being organised under a WHO sanctioned project on adolescent and health care clinics. She said the main aim was to create awareness amongst the teenagers regarding their biological, sociological and mental changes during adolescence and avoid them from getting wayward.

The participants were also shown two films created by the BBC on adolescence and its impact on the teenagers. Other audio-visual aids were also used during the interactive session.

The Superintendent of Police, Ms Charu Bali, was the chief guest on the occasion, and ASP Bharti Arora presided over the function. 

Dev Saini, Aalamjit Kaur emerge champions
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 26
Dev Saini among cadet boys and Aalamjit Kaur among cadet girls emerged champions in the PGI Club Open Table Tennis Tournament today. Dev Saini did not have to exert much in beating Sameer Singla, 11-7, 11-4, 11-5. Aalamjit had an easier outing against Barbie whom she defeated 11-3, 11-2, 11-3.

The results: Cadet girls (semifinal): Barbie (DAVPS-8) b Meenal Gupta (St Annes), 11-3, 11-2, 11-1; Aalamjit (BVB-27) b Naina (DAVPS-8), 11-9, 11-8, 14-16, 11-7.

Final: Aalamjit Kaur (Bhavan Vidyalaya-27) b Barbie (DAV Public School-8), 11-3, 11-2, 11-3.

Cadet boys: (quarter-finals): Dev Saini (PSEB Academy) b Dashpreet (AKSIPS), 11-4, 11-4, 11-4; Rajan (DAVPS-9) b Chetan Singla (DAVPS-8), 10-12, 11-7, 11-7, 11-8; Sameer Singla (MM-21) b Nitish (AKSIPS), 11-4, 11-4, 11-8; Rohan (St John) b Navjeet Singh (AKSIPS-41), 11-8, 12-14, 11-6, 11-9.

Semifinals: Sameer Singla (MM-21) b Rohan (St John), 11-6, 11-8, 11-6; Dev Saini (PSEB Academy) b Rajan (DAVPS-8), 11-3, 6-11, 11-6, 11-9.

Final: Dev Saini (PSEB Academy, Ajmer) b Sameer Singla (Manav Mangal, Sector 21), 11-7, 11-4, 11-5.

Ball badminton meet

The 8th Chandigarh Sub-Junior State Ball Badminton Championship (boys and girls) for Santosh Kumar Rana Trophy will be held at St Joseph’s High School, Sector 44-D, from April 27 to 29. The championship, to be held under the BBFI, will be played on league-cum-knockout basis.

The following are the pools:

Boys: Pool A: St Joseph’s Coaching Centre-44; Moti Ram Arya Senior Secondary School-27; Government

Model High School-41; Government High School, Khuda Lahora, St Joseph’s High School-44.

Pool B: Guru Harkrishan Public School-40, Manav Mangal School-21, Government Model High School-36, Government Model Senior Secondary School-37 and Maharaja Club-21.

Girls: Pool A: St Joseph’s Coaching Centre-44; Government Model High School-36; Government Model High School-41.

Pool B: Dev Samaj Senior Secondary School-21, Guru Harkrishan Public School-40 and Moti Ram Arya Senior Secondary School-27.

Water sport meet

The first All-India Water Sports Championship will be held at the Sukhna lake from April 28 to May 1. The championship includes events like rowing and kayaking.

It is for the first time that this championship is being held in Chandigarh. It will be hosted by the Punjab Police.

About 18 teams from all over the country are expected to participate in the championship.

Table tennis tourney

The Central Excise Commissionerate, Chandigarh, is organising the Central Revenue Sports Board Inter-Institutional Table Tennis Tournament on April 29 to 30 in Table Tennis Hall, Sector 23-C, Chandigarh. According to Mr V.K. Sharma, Commissioner, Central Excise Commissionerate, Chandigarh, various institutions from all over India will participate in the tournament.

This tournament is being organised in Chandigarh for the second. Cash prizes will be given to the winners and runners-up teams. Mr S.C. Grover, Chief Commissioner, Income Tax (NWR), Chandigarh, will inaugurate the tournament at 10.30 a.m. on April 20. Prizes will be given away by Mr Krishana Kant, Chief Commissioner, Customs (DZ), New Delhi, on April 30 at 5 p.m.