The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HEALTH

BODY & MIND
Parenthood classes for couples
Tripti Nath

THERE is good news for would-be mothers. Max Medcentre in Pitampura (North Delhi) has recently taken the welcome initiative of starting ante-natal classes to prepare pregnant women and their husbands for parenthood.

Dr Samir Parikh, Consultant Psychiatrist with Max Health care, Pentamed Hospital and North Delhi Nursing Home, recently interacted with a group of 27 young couples and countable mothers and mothers-in-law at a 45-minute session recently.

Dr Parikh, who delivered a talk on the psycho-social aspects of pregnancy, says that gynaecological issues constitute 80 per cent of the ante-natal classes. Other issues are addressed by neo-natologists, psychiatrists and nutritionists. Dr Parikh says that if a mother is under stress, it can affect the foetus and the overall development of the child. “The whole family needs to go through the ante-natal class. The role of the father is also very important. Although, the child is dependent on the mother for two years, it is not fair to put the entire onus on the child,’’ he said.

Dr Parikh recalls the interaction with couples as a good experience. "Couples awaiting the arrival of their first born wanted answers to a host of questions. For instance, a man wanted to know if his touring would affect the bond with the newborn.’’

According to Pankaj Mathur, clinic manager, Max Medcentre, Pitampura, “The classes began on the first Saturday of June. We have had four classes till now. Although the classes are spread over six sessions, these can be increased because there is a lot of material to share with the couples and a lot of questions

to answer. The classes are held every Saturday from 3 pm to 5 pm. The classes are open to patients of our consultants but we will not refuse enrolment to other couples. They will have to deposit a fee of Rs 1200. The ante natal classes are being conducted by a team of gyneacologits comprising Dr Nitika Sobti, Senior Duty Medical Officer, Dr Sunita Verma, Dr Renu Sharma, Dr Asha Rawal, Dr A.K. Bajaja and Dr Biajaylakshmi Patnaik.’’ The Max maternity programme is guided by Mumbai-based obstetrician and gynaecologist, Padamshree Dr Rustom Phiroze Soonawala.

CANCER SURVIVOR TURNS AUTHOR

Two years ago when 51-year-old advertising professional Anup Kumar was all set to leave the Indian shores to take up a job in the Gulf, he was forced to change his mind. A medical test with a merciless diagnosis of advanced stage of lung cancer left him with no choice but to undergo treatment without any delay. He was told by oncologists at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai that he only had four months to live. Used to late work hours and an erratic schedule, the ad man found it difficult to remain inactive and housebound. With uncertainties staring him in the face, he decided to write a daily diary describing his day-to-day experiences. The jottings pertained to fluctuations in his condition and his attempts to fight the cancer. This positive pre-occupation paved the way for the idea of attempting a book, which would serve as a guide to other cancer survivors. His resilience to fight the cancer helped him achieve the goal of writing the book.

Anup Kumar feels that the book `The Joy of Cancer' is not only the outcome of the emotional and physical anguish that followed but much more. "It is about the power of the human mind and body to turn a death sentence around. Written in the form of a guide, the basic premise of the book is that survival is as much in the hands of the cancer patient as the doctors. The book was written during those horrifying six months, in between bouts of nausea and all other side-effects of chemotherapy.

The book is based on my own experiences and conversations with other cancer patients and their family members,'' he says. One may ask why the book is called `The Joy of Cancer'. To this, the author says that the diagnosis helped him give up his habit of smoking altogether. Besides, it helped me identify my true friends and renewed my ties with old friends who came to support me. "I suddenly had time for introspection,'' says Anup Kumar, who presently heads the corporate communications department of one of India's leading industrial organisations.

Published by Rupa & Co, the 238-page book is co sponsored by Dabur Research Foundation. Veteran actor, Sunil Dutt and Oncologist at Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai, Dr S.H. Advani will release the book at a function at Delhi on July 6.

Anup says that the moment a patient is diagnosed as suffering from cancer, he tends to question the fate as ``why me? Why now?'' This has an affect on a person's positive outlook and self-esteem. The only way to rid yourself from the `why me, why now syndrome' is to accept the cancer. If you do not accept it, your condition worsens. If you mourn and groan, your family members and friends also mourn and groan", says Anup.

ALZHEIMER’s DISEASE

Health India, a non-government organisation run by a group of medical practitioners, has launched an awareness campaign on Alzheimer’s disease. Alzheimer’s better known as AD is one of the most disabling conditions, which affect the elderly. The most common form of dementia, AD is a progressive disorder, which ultimately leads to profound disability and death. Experts point out that age continues to be the greatest risk factor for developing Alzheimer’s disease.

According to Health India, ten million persons suffer from AD. Of these, three million persons are from India. AD is the fourth leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease, cancer and stroke. The disease affects about five to eight per cent of persons of 65 years and above.

Although the disease is common among the elderly, it has also been diagnosed in patients in their 40s and 50s. It is estimated that only about half of the total number of individuals with AD are actually diagnosed and less than half of those diagnosed receive drug therapy.

According to Dr Ravi Nehru, neurologist at G B Pant Hospital, although there is no definite cure for AD, the availability of cost effective drugs helps the patients function better and slows down the progression of dementia. Projections for the next 20 years indicate a manifold increase in the number of persons suffering from Alzheimer’s Disease. The increase will be most pronounced in rapidly developing and densely populated regions in China, Latin America and India. AD sets in with little things, which often go unnoticed such as forgetting names of family members and friends, keys, important telephone numbers and significant dates. Besides, the patient becomes suspicious, aggressive, anxious and depressed.

CHYAWANPRASH FOR CHILDREN

The newly launched biotech division of Mayar India Ltd. claims to have overtaken other Ayurvedic companies by launching Sivananda Bal Chyawanprabha for children.

According to Dr Shrikant Gaur, Manager-Medical Services (Ayurveda), Mayar India Ltd., “Sivananda Bal Chyawanprabha has been prepared from the age-old recipe of Swami Sivananda. Its Ayurvedic ingredients include Shankhpushpi and Brahmibooti (for improving memory and concentration), Amla, Giloy and Kakrashringi (for community against common ailments as cough and cold), Bidarikand Bala Panchang and Aswagandha (for boosting energy and preventing fatigue) and Prawal Bhashma (for strengthening bones and helping in proper growth).

We have also imported vanilla beans to give Chyawanprash an enticing vanilla flavour that will be loved by the children.’’ The Chyawanprash is available in packs of 250 gm (Rs 60), 500 gm (Rs 110) and 1 kg (Rs 195). The product will be initially launched in North but will be available throughout the country soon.

DOCTOR’s DAY

ITC Greeting Cards Business, in association with SOS Children’s Villages of India (CVI), has introduced an exclusive range of nine cards for Doctor’s Day (which falls on July 1). Doctor’s Day is observed to raise public awareness about the active role of physicians in our daily lives. The Indian government recognised July 1 as Doctor’s Day in 1991 to commemorate the birth and death anniversary of Bharat Ratna Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy. The SOS CVI cards will enable the patients to express their gratitude to doctors for their selfless sacrifice to mankind.

SPORTS

FOOTBALL
‘Election fever’ grips Delhi Soccer Association
M. S. Unnikrishnan

New Delhi, June 29
The Delhi Soccer Association (DSA) is in the grip of a severe “soccer fever”, not the World Cup variety, but the election type!

Over a decade ago, the DSA was in the doghouse, with various factions putting a spoke in the works. But a dedicated band of soccer lovers and officials joined hands to put the game back on rails with great effort.

Delhi had enjoyed a pride of place in the soccer firmament of the country once upon a time. But over the years, the game lost its sheen, and over-ambitious officials virtually sounded its deathknell in the Capital.

Soccer languished in the Capital for a few years before people who passionately loved the game came together to revive it.

Mr Umesh Sood and Mr Syed Nasir Ali acted as vital cogs in the wheel to reunite warring factions, and put the game on a pedestal. When things started falling in place, individual ambitions got the better of reason, and once thick-as-blood friends became sworn enemies.

Now, the DSA is facing the sad spectacle of comrades-in-arms pitting themselves against each other as the election date of a new set of office-bearers is fast approaching. The election of the office-bearers and members of the managing committee, and the Annual General Body meeting, are slated to be held on July 14. The announcement of the election date has set off frenetic activity, as new alignments are taking shape to herald a big change at the top.

Mr Umesh Sood, Mr Nasir Ali and Mr Leo Rodrigues have completed two terms of fours years each as president, secretary and treasurer respectively. If the DSA constitution is followed in letter and spirit, all the three are ineligible to stand for a third term. But these days, very few sports federations adhere to Government guidelines. Government guidelines are flouted with impunity rather than adhered to. And herein lies the crux.

Both Umesh Sood and Nasir Ali are learnt to be keen to join the election fray to seek a third four-year term. But there is a minor hitch. For the last two years, the relationship between Sood and Nasir had strained somewhat, particularly after the elections to the All India Football Federation (AIFF).

Sood backed the candidature of Sameer Thapar for presidentship of the AIFF while Nasir Ali supported P. R Das Munshi. Das Munshi won and Sood tendered his resignation as president of the DSA. Sood’s grouse was that he was not made an observer for the AIFF elections from Delhi. That honour went to joint secretary N K Bhatia. But Sood’s friends and well-wishers prevailed upon him to reconsider his decision, which he eventually did, though with great reluctance.

There, however, remained an undercurrent of unease and tension though on the surface, everything looked normal on the DSA front.

The announcement of the election date has, however, given a dramatic twist to the permutations and combinations in the numbers game as even some top bureaucrats — some call it the IAS lobby—have reportedly shown keen interest in the DSA elections.

Sood and Nasir Ali are learnt to be backing different factions, as a bid to have a rapprochement between the two to workout a consensus, has so far come out unstuck.

The DSA has about 75 voting members, which includes 24 institutional teams. The rest are club teams. The ruling group — read Nasir Ali group — reportedly commands majority as during the last elections, the rival faction received only 14 votes in the elections for the key posts of president and secretary.

Umesh Sood’s support to the rival faction this time around may make matters difficult for the ruling group, signs of which are already in evidence.

Each eligible club had to nominate a member for the AGM before June 28. According to sources, Food Corporation of India (Headquarters), withdrew its original nominee, Abdul Aziz, with former international athlete Geeta Zutshi while the Delhi Customs reportedly replaced its original nominee D. K Bose with some other candidate. The nominations of two FIFA panel referees, Rizwan-ul-Haq (Shakti Club) and Krishan Avtar (FCI North), have been objected to by some clubs as they feel that it’s against the FIFA rules for these referees to be active participants in the elections to their State body. Some clubs have threatened to report the matter to FIFA if Haq and Avtar represent their clubs in the DSA elections.

But according to sources, no FIFA ruling bars referees from contesting or voting in elections. “Some people are putting pressure tactics to vitiate the atmosphere in the DSA”, lamented a soccer official. The entry of the “IAS lobby” has created an atmosphere of tension in the DSA.

Though the Nasir Ali group has not yet decided about the presidential candidate, it has become more or less clear that present joint secretary N. K Bhatia and Mr Khem Chand will be fielded for the posts of secretary and treasurer respectively. Mr Ali himself may throw his hat into the ring for the top post while Mr Sharafatullah, president of City Club, is being fielded as a candidate for the president’s post with Mr Dev Raj Katyal as secretary by the rival faction.

Efforts are, however, being made to hold the elections through consensus, but some aggrieved clubs like Youngsters, Shastri, Collegians and Jat Heroes, who are facing relegation from the Senior Division League, are keen to have a change of guard at the helm.

These clubs feel that the ruling group harmed their interest while holding the league this time as they could not cobble together a solid combination due to the timing, and hence, had to skip the league. The festival of Eid, school exams and change of ground were cited as reasons for the inability of some clubs to participate in the league.

But the ruling group insists that the clubs that skipped the league would have to face relegation, and there was no escape route.

Twice champions Indian Nationals Club, who surrendered the crown to Hindustan Club this year, have also reportedly thrown their lot behind the rival faction, and if a consensus is not worked out, there will be a battle royal for the posts of president, secretary, treasurer, three joint secretaries, six vice-presidents and nine managing committee members.

ADMINISTRATION

Nagar Nigam sells prime GDA land
Parmindar Singh

Ghaziabad, June 29
A piece of prime land (165 sq mt) near the old bus stand police post, which belonged to the Ghaziabad Development Authority, has been sold for Rs 28 lakhs by the Nagar Nigam (City Municipal Committee) by showing it as its own. The district administration had quietly got the land measured and conducted an inquiry. Now, it has sent its report to the State Government, it is learnt.

This news of the land being measured and an inquiry being conducted in this regard was not leaked even to the Nagar Nigam. When the Nagar Nigam team visited the site to take the measurements of the land in question, the Tehsildar withheld the permission for measurement and the team had to beat a hasty retreat.

Obviously, the land seems to be slipping out of the Nigam’s hands. The controversy snowballed on June 18 when a statue of Buddha and a portrait of Dr B R Ambedkar were unveiled at the site. In view of the diametrically opposite standpoints on this issue, the whole matter has been handed over to Divisional Commissioner N S Ravi. The Nigam had sold this land to one Dinesh in an auction who had made the full payment of Rs. 28 lakhs to the Nagar Nigam, which was to hand over the possession on 20 June. But a controversy had erupted following the installation of the statue and the portrait.

It is reliably learnt that the district administration had received a government order on 26 June. As per this order, DM Sanjeev Mittal had asked City Magistrate and SDM B K Singh to get the land measured afresh and a report from Tehsildar Ajay Arora was sent to the Administration. According to Tehsil sources the land was in the name of Improvement Trust in 1964 and is registered in the Tehsil revenue records under Khasra No. 907. A part of the land had been utilised in the road crossing and another part in the Santosh Hospital. The police post is also located on a part of it.

After 1964, a lavatory was built on this controversial land which was remodelled by the GDA in 1976. Its possession was considered to be under GDA. That is what the Tehsil record also shows.