The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

HEALTH

Snag in expensive equipment hits poor patients
Pratibha Chauhan
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 24
Even as the Cardiology Department at the PGI awaits the installation of the Main Cath Lab, the newly acquired C Arm machine costing Rs 1 crore has already developed a snag, causing inconvenience to the poor patients, who get treatment at a much less price, here.

The C Arm portable machine, is being used intermittently, as due to some fault, it cannot be put to its full utilisation. “Ever since it has been installed we have performed just 130 procedures, though double the number could have been undertaken, if the equipment was in perfect condition,” revealed one of the doctors. The equipment is being repaired for the past two days so that it can be used for a long duration, at a stretch.

As a result many of the poor patients who approach the PGI for coronary angiography, angioplasty, balloon dilation and permanent or temporary pace-maker implantation, are forced to go to private hospitals, where the cost is much higher. The C Arm is used for all routine short procedures, relating to cardiac problems.

Since the Cardiology Department, is yet to acquire the Main Cath Lab, the entire pressure is on the C Arm machine, which cannot afford to be out of order even for a single day. “Even though we are very particular about maintaining the prescribed temperature, but even then it is giving problems, probably because of some fault it had at the time of installation only,” said one of the staff at the department.

Sources, said since the PGI had yet to give the G Form, pertaining to satisfactory services being given by the equipment, there is a possibility that it could be replaced with a new one by the company.

Getting a plain angiography done at the PGI costs a patient about Rs 7000, while at private hospitals it could be anywhere in the range of 12,000, said one of the doctors.

A majority of the patients from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal, Rajasthan and parts of Uttar Pradesh, approach the PGI, as they are unable to afford these expensive cardiac procedures and treatment at private hospitals.

Though, with the installation of the Main Cath Lab, which will cost over Rs 4 crores , the cardiology department will acquire all the latest and sophisticated equipment yet till then it is the patients from the economically weaker section of society, who will have to suffer.

From medication to meditation
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 24
Taking a break from their monotonous and rigorous schedule of attending to stream of patients, doctors, nurses and other staff of the PGI had a very enriching experience today as they all got tips on “Sahaj Marg Meditation” to heal their mind, body and soul.

The faculty, residents and staff of the PGI sat in rapt attention as they listened to Gyanendra Kumar Sarin from Shri Ram Chandra Mission, Chennai, talk about meditation being an instrument not a goal." Meditation should not be used for achieving smaller things but highest spiritual evolution and it is a simple practice which can be easily integrated into even the busiest of lives, “he remarked, keeping in mind that majority of that PGI staff have a hectic routine.

“All human progress and change are the outcome of meditation, as the works of great people like Archimedes, Newton or even Buddha, for that matter, were the result of faculty of contemplation,” he explained. He said it all depended on how and for what purpose we used these instruments.

Elaborating on “Sahaj Marg” (natural path), he said it was the “raja yoga” system of spiritual training based on heart centred meditation. The practice is founded on the principle that God is all pervasive, being present in the heart of every individual.

He said, “Meditation was a continuous thought on one object or aim and we meditate on what we want to become. Thus, with the guidance and support of the spiritual master, practitioners meditate on the divine presence in the heart as the most direct means of realising the goal.”

He said transmission was defined as the utilisation of divine energy (pranahuti) for transformation of a human being. This process, in turn, aids in gently diverting the mind towards the ultimate.

The fact that the PGI theatre at which the tips on meditation were given, was packed till the end of the lecture, indicated that even doctors and other medical staff found such talks engrossing. They said the sessions should be held more regularly.

SPORTS

Sharda Sarvhitkari bag overall trophy
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, August 24
Sharda Sarvhitkari School, Sector 40, bagged the overall trophy in the UT Inter-School Wrestling Meet in the age groups for below-14, 17 and 19.

In the under-14 section, Rohit of Sharda School stood first in below-25 kg; Kishore in below-28 kg; Sonu in below-30 kg; Yoginder in below-32 kg; Ajay in below 35-kg; Govind in below 38-kg; Anuj in below-41 kg; Faishad in below-45 kg; Love Kumar in below-49 kg; and Ajay in below-55 kg.

The results for under 17 are: Bhupinder Singh of Sharda School bagged the first position in the below-42 kg; Ranjit 1, below-45 kg; Tejinder in below 48-kg; Ajay in below-52 kg; Harinder in below-57 kg; Sanjeet in below-63 kg; Hardeep in below-69 kg; and Pankaj in below-76 kg.

In the under 19: Pushpinder of Sharda School stood first in below-42 kg; Satish in below-45 kg; Anil in below-49 kg; Rajinder in below-52 kg; Sunil in below-56 kg; Sukhwinder in below-60 kg; Narinder in below-65 kg; Jagbir in below-70 kg; Rajbir in below-76 kg; Dharminder in below-83 kg; and Vijinder in above-83 kg groups.

In the girls’ inter-school judo competition: Babita of Government Model Senior Secondary School bagged the first position in the below-36 kg; Dimple Sharma of Government Model Senior Secondary School, stood first in the below-44 kg; Kiran Negi of Sharda School in the below-52 kg; and Meena Gill of Sharda School, Sector 40, in the below-56 kg categories.

Hockey tournament

The Rock Rovers Club will clash with Chandigarh Hockey Academy in the tomorrow’s final of the First SN Vohra Memorial Hockey Tournament played at the Panjab University grounds, here today. In the first semifinal, Rock Rovers outplayed Shri Guru Gobind Singh Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, by four goals to one. The goals were scored by Aditya in the seventh minute, Amrit Lal in the 16th minute, Preetinder in the 21st minute and Gurpreet in the 58th minute. Tejinder Singh was the lone scored for the losers who scored in the 53rd minute.

In the second semifinal, the hockey academy beat St Stephen’s School, Sector 45, by 16-1. Deepinder Pal Singh scored four goals. Baljinder Singh and Sandeep fielded five goals each.

Basketball meet

PML SD Public School, Sector 32, defeated Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 46, by 44-10 in the boys’ section of the Third Pandit Mohan Lal Memorial Basketball Tournament which began at basketball courts of SD School, here on Saturday. Earlier, the four-day meet was inaugurated by Mr K.K. Sharma, Chairman-cum-Manager of the PML SD School. In matches for girls’ section, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 16, defeated St Xavier’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, by 23-04. In another match, Sacred Heart School, Sector 26, got the better of Carmel Convent School, Sector 9, by 26-17.

Carrom tourney

Diksha Jain and Ridhi Kanwar entered the sub-junior girls’ section of the second Panchkula District Carrom tournament played at Saupin’s School, Sector 9, here on Saturday. Other players who won in this section are: Chandni Sharma, Tanya Singh, Neha, Tanya Mahajan and Priya Gupta. In girls’ junior section: Richa Saini, Shalini Arora, Sheena Dhiman and Mandeep Kaur entered the second round. Simran and Jaspreet Singh sailed into the third round of sub-junior boys. In junior boys’ singles, those who entered the third round are: Aman Luthra, Vikrant Garg, Gursharan, Gaurav, Harveer, Raman, Tarun, Alok and Sachin.

St Kabir Trophy

Nav Bal Niketan, Sector 20, beat Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, by 21 runs in the St Kabir Trophy Cricket Match played at Cricket Stadium, Sector 16, here on Saturday.

Rohit bags title

Rohit Mahajan of Amritsar bagged the under-17 title by beating Vikram of Jalandhar with the score of 11-9, 11-9, 11-9, 11-7 and in the girls’ category, Nadia Saini of DAV Public School bagged the title by beating Arshdeep Kaur of Manav Mangal High School, Sector 21, with scores being 11-9, 8-11, 11-3, 11-4,12-10 in the Manav Mangal Open Table Tennis Tournament.

The other results are: junior: boys’ finals: Rohit Mahajan, Amritsar beat Vikram, Jalandhar 11-9, 11-9,11-9,11-7; and girls’ finals :Nadia Saini, DAVPS, Sector 8, beat Arshdeep, Manav Mangal, Sector 21, by 11-9, 8-11,11-3,11-4,12-10.

In the sub-junior group, in the boys’ finals Dev Saini of DAVPS, Sector 8, beat Kamaljit of Patiala by 9-11, 6-11, 11-8,11-9, 11-8,12-10 and in the girls’ finals Nadia Saini of DAVPS, Sector 8, beat Sunanda of DAVPS, Sector 8, by 11-7, 11-9, 9-11,11-5,11-8.

School Tournament

Kailash Bahl DAV School, Sector 7, skaters bagged many accolades in the School Tournament-2002 held at skating rink , Sector 10, here on Saturday.

The results are: girls: Speed Skating (under-14): Devanshi of Class VII stood first in the Rink Race-I; Mehak Paul of Class V stood second and in the Rink Race-II, Jyotika of Class VI stood first, whereas Devanshi of Class VII stood second.

HSIDC beat CITCO

Haryana State Industrial Development Corporation beat CITCO by 82 runs, while Dainik Bhaskar beat Indian Express by five wickets in the opening match of the first Inter-Media/Institutional/Bank Employees Cricket Tournament organised by the Gallant Cricket Club, Panchkula, at the Sector 5, grounds.