HEALTH

Constant blood supply — only hope for thalassaemics
Chitleen K Sethi
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 16
Nine-year-old Manik is not afraid of anything. As he walks into the special blood transfusion room for thalassaemics at the PGI, he sits on one of the beds as the nurse starts to swab his arm. He closes his eyes, takes out his walkman and listens to his favourite music. Twice a month, Manik comes to the PGI for blood for survival. No blood transfusions will mean no life for him.

Thalassaemia, which is a serious congenital disorder, results in constant depletion of haemoglobin in blood which proves fatal till blood is regularly transfused into the patient. As many as 345 thalassaemics from the region are registered with the Thalassaemic Children Welfare Association, Chandigarh, which has been providing various kinds of relief to these patients since 1987.

The association has appealed to the general public to liberally donate blood for children suffering from thalassaemia. The association has started series of blood donation camps at the PGI to collect blood for these patients. The first camp of the series was held on May 8 — celebrated as the International Thalassaemia Day. The rest of the camps are scheduled to be held at the PGI Lecture Theatre I on May 25, June 8, June 22, July 6 and July 20.

Many of these children are undergoing regular transfusions at the special thalassaemia clinic of the PGI. Most of these children come twice a month for blood transfusion to keep the iron level in their blood high. On an average these patients require more than 6000 units of blood each year and hence the annual blood donation camps organised by the association during these summer months are of utmost importance to ensure an uninterrupted supply of blood to these children.

The children undergoing this regular transfusion also require the iron chelation therapy. This is an expensive treatment since drugs for this therapy cost every child more than Rs 3000 per month. The association has also appealed that donations are required for this therapy of various children undergoing transfusions at the PGI. The association also encourages those who can afford it and adoption of more such children for treatment.

There is no known cure for this disease except for a complete bone marrow transplant, the facility for which is not available in the region. In any case it costs as much as Rs 10 lakh. Also essential for such an operation is a fully matched sibling bone marrow, which is not easy to find. Hence most of the children have to make do with blood transfusions all their lives.

The PGI has now started looking for alternative treatments for the disease and a study is being done at the PGI thalassaemic clinic on the effect of wheat grass therapy on these children. Although no conclusive results are available on the response of these children being subjected to this treatment, families with a thalassaemic child are keeping their fingers crossed and wishing for positive news.

Ophthalmological society chief elected
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, May 16
Dr Jagat Ram, Professor of Ophthalmology at the PGI, Chandigarh, has assumed the charge of president of the Chandigarh Ophthalmological Society.

He highlighted the efforts made to improve the standard of society. He also stressed that more attention would be paid to rural people suffering from eye diseases by organising screening camps and outreach programmes. The society would also introduce interactive public education and eye diseases awareness programmes. Dr Rohit Grover, Dr Kanwar Mohan and Dr Ashok Sharma were elected senior vice-president, vice-president and honorary secretary of the society respectively.

Nurses hold health talks
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 16
The Trained Nurses Association of India, Chandigarh branch, organised health talks in the OPDs of the Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, here today.

The talks were organised as part of the Nurses’ Week celebrations which will conclude on May 18. The theme of the talks was ‘Nurses always there for you — caring the family’. Nurses serving in various hospitals in the city explained things to the public through charts, posters and demonstrations. Talks also focussed on the various problems of women.

Similar health talks were also delivered at the PGI and General Hospital, Sector, 16, OPDs.

128 units of blood collected
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 16
As many as 128 units of blood were collected at a blood donation camp organised by the Indo-Swiss training centre of the CSIO here today.

Mr C.L. Chopra, AGM, State Bank of India, Sector 30, inaugurated the camp. He exhorted students to continue their contribution to this cause.

Mr H.S. Gupta, Principal, ISTC, while highlighting the importance of blood donation motivated the students to be always ready for social causes.

Medical camp on May 19
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 16
A medical camp — the second of the series — will be organised at Government High School, Hallomajra, on May 19 at 9 A.M. It is being organised jointly by the UT Red Cross Society, the Social Welfare Department, the Health Department and Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Chandigarh. 

SPORTS

Proposal to set up national academy in golf
Arvind Katyal

Chandigarh, May 16
A leading international golfer of Chandigarh, Amandeep Johal, has given a proposal to the Chandigarh Golf Association to establish a national academy in golf which will be headed by a world renowned Italian golf teacher, Dr Donald D’ Ponziano, who is also the Joint Chairman of the Professional Golf Association (PGA) of Europe.

Johal said various professional golfers of India normally visit various countries, including Italy, to learn the finer points of the game. He said academy could be named as CGA National Academy and as per his plan given to CGA officials, Dr Ponziano will make three visits to the academy, comprising 10 days each, thrice in a year.

Total expenditure for his consultancy, boarding, lodging and to and fro fare will be nearly Rs 15 lakh per year. Johal said during the past six years he had spent lakhs on the visits to these countries.

He said if all professional golfers of the country assembled at one point, then firstly the charges would be less and secondly the golfers, who wish to be future teachers, could benefit immensely.

He said city golfers, including Gurbaz Mann, Harmeet, Harjinder Kang and Arjun Atwal, could always benefit from such plan. But he said: “We must try to invest on our sport so as to reach the highest point.”

When contacted, Mr D.P. Azad, President of the CGA, said: “The proposal will be discussed at their board meeting.”

Meanwhile, the Chandigarh Golf Association has been given the affiliation by the Chandigarh Olympic Association.