HEALTH

Paramedics threaten stir
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 19
On a call by the State Action Committee of the Paramedical and Health Employees Union, a state-level convention held at the Punjabi Bhavan here on Thursday decided to launch a statewide agitation against the Punjab Government decision to hand over the government hospitals and dispensaries to private entrepreneurs and Primary Health Centres, to panchayats and municipal councils.

The agitating employees demanded the continuation of the payment of allowances to various categories of paramedical staff and an early settlement of their demands.

The leaders at the convention accused the Amarinder government of backing out on its promises. “The party had assured people to render cheap and quality based medical facilities and free medical provisions for the poor. Unfortunately nothing has been done so far”, said Mr Narjinder Singh.

The convention adopted 12 resolutions regarding restoration of fixed travelling allowance, parity in pay scales and allowances to nursing and family staff with the Central government, adequate and quality based supply of medicines in hospitals and health centres, handing over of the maintenance of the G.P. Fund accounts to drawing and disbursing officers, ending political interference in panchayats and cancellation of all transfers which had been ordered in violation of the transfer policy.

By a special resolution it condemned the Central Government move to freeze dearness allowance to the Central, state and semi-Government employees.

The convention was addressed by Mr Karnail Singh, state convener of the union, Mr Rajinder Pal Soni, acting president of the union, and Mr Ranbir Dhillon, general secretary of the Punjab Subordinate Services Federation, Dr H.S. Randhawa, state president of the PCMS Association, Mr B.K. Jethy, Mr H.S. Mangat, Ms Jagsir Khara, Ms Hardip Kaur and Mr Shamsher Singh.

It called upon the paramedical staff and the doctors to observe the Save Health - Save Punjab Day on October 29 and hold protest rallies at block and tehsil levels throughout the state.

City dentist develops new technique
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 19
A city dentist has developed a technique for saving “mobile teeth” from falling. Loss of bone due to a common gum disease called pyorrhea renders teeth “mobile”. Dr Vikas Jindal, who has developed the technique, says that the disease has predisposing factors like diabetes, hypertension, medication for chronic ailments, pregnancy, hormonal disturbances and epilepsy etc.

The disease can be taken care of by treating these factors and maintaining good oral hygiene. The new surgical technique helps a person retain the original teeth, according to Dr Jindal.

The procedure involves bone grafting in the loose teeth along with Gore Tex membrane. The technique called guided tissue regeneration has been tested abroad, but cost factor and shortage of experts had been preventing its advent in India, so far. The membrane helps a doctor achieve selective regeneration of the bone that supports the mobile teeth.

Dr Jindal, periodontist and specialist in diseases of the gums and the teeth bones, has performed a number of surgeries with this new technique. The latest was on a man of Himachal Pradesh who had mobile upper front teeth. The man, Mohinder Lal, belonged to Nurpur village and he had already consulted several dentists before this. Most of them had advised him to get the teeth extracted and a new denture made. Dr Vikas told him that his original mobile teeth could be made immobile, if he had the patience to undergo the surgery. The surgery proved to be successful, six months after which, Mohinder maintains a healthy set of original teeth.

The dentist said such surgeries had revolutionised dentistry. Patients now had the option of getting their mobile teeth fixed. No more artificial teeth.