Patients throng DMCH camp
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 11
Hundreds of patients braved extreme cold weather conditions to attend the multi-speciality health camp organised by Dayanand Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) at its Rural Healthcare Centre at Pohir village today.

The free camp was a part of the drive launched by DMCH for the rural masses of Dehlon Block on the occasion of its 70th year of devoted patient care services. Despite the biting cold, a huge rush of patients was witnessed at the camp. Consultants of DMCH were available for free consultation. The specialists on internal medicine, skin, eye, gynae, general surgery and dental were present on the occasion. Medicines were also given free of cost to the villagers by DMCH.

All patients visiting the health camp were also given booklets containing information about the prevention of diseases like AIDS, asthma, dengue etc. In all about 25 specialists from different specialities supported by 40 paramedical staff took part in the camp.

Simultaneously, DMCH is running a three-month-long special patient care drive for about 100 villages of Dehlon Block through the health centre at Pohir by offering special benefits for rural folks from January 1 to March 31. Concessions including free OPD consultation, are given to villagers.

According to a hospital spokesperson, 50 per cent concession will be offered on the bed charges of general ward, 50 per cent on all surgical consumables purchased from the hospital drug store, 20 per cent on all medicines purchased from the hospital drug store and 10 per cent concession will be given on all diagnostic tests. This will be applicable on all kinds of treatment, including surgery, medicine, gynae, skin, orthopaedics, eye, neurosurgery, endocrinology, nephrology, urology, oncology, neurology, paediatric surgery, plastic surgery, psychiatry etc. Homoeopathic consultation will also be given free of cost to the residents of Dehlon block and 20 per cent concession will be given on the homoeopathic medicines as well.

For helping villagers avail these medical facilities, the hospital is running a free bus service from the rural healthcare centre, Pohir, to the hospital.

Control diabetes to avoid blindness
Asha Ahuja

Ludhiana, January 11
Sham was losing his vision. Though concerned, he could not able to keep his blood sugar under control. Since he had a family history of diabetes, uncontrolled sugar leads to retinopathy and as a result, he lost vision and became totally blind.

Dr H.S.Pruti, says that if kept under control diabetes can be a simple disease, but left unattended, it can lead to kidney failure and retinopathy. Due to uncontrolled diabetes, there are haemorrhages, because of which a patient starts losing vision. If a patient changes his or her life style, eats proper food and exercises, further loss of vision can be stopped. These days treatment with lasers also helps in restoring vision.

He says India will become the capital of diabetes by 2010. By 2025, every fifth Indian would be diabetic. “The disease has a genetic origin, but can be warded off by changing one’s life style. Sadly people are not aware that exercise is a very important factor. A correct diet and an energetic lifestyle has to replace wrong eating habits and sedentary lifestyles”, he adds.

Dr Sarabjit Singh says lack of awareness about the seriousness of the complications of diabetes is appalling. More than half of the people suffering from diabetes are at a risk of vision loss because they do not know they have the disease, he says.

Diabetic retinopathy is a potentially vision threatening condition in which blood vessels inside the retina become damaged from the high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes. Because there are often no symptoms in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, the vision may not be affected until the disease becomes severe. One should see an ophthalmologist if there are visual changes that affect only one eye, last more than a few days or are not associated with a change in blood sugar.

Diabetes can also affect the vision by causing cataract and glaucoma. “If you have diabetes, you are likely to get cataract at a younger age and your chances of developing glaucoma are doubled,” say doctors.

SPORTS

Ludhiana lose in basketball
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, January 11
Ludhiana lost its all the three matches in basketball on the second day of the annual sports festival being organised by the Amarjit Sports Club at Sri Hargobind Sahib Stadium in Gujjarwal, near here, today. In the first match, Ludhiana lost to Jalandhar 8-17 and then went down fighting 22-26 to Hoshiarpur. Ludhiana got a drubbing at the hands of Faridkot 14-30. In other matches, Faridkot recorded an easy victory (35-21) over Hoshiarpur, while Jalandhar overwhelmed Kapurthala 30-16.

In football, Narangwal College pipped Jandiala 6-1, while in kabaddi (65 kg) Dhoorkot registered a convincing 29-13 victory and Dehlon beat Gujjarwal 19-14 to set up the title clash. The final match was slated for the evening.

Six heats were conducted in bullock-cart races. Mahinder Singh of Dhumat, Darshan Singh of Dhoorkot, Harvir Singh of Lohgarh, Ranjit Singh of Aasi Kalan, Jandha Singh of Bodhhai, Gaganjit Singh of Jalaldiwad, Gurjant Singh of Bathan, Harchand Singh of Dhandari Kalan, Parminder Singh of Gujjarwal, Bagga Singh of Mayan Kalan, Bittu of Chhapar and Kaur Singh of Bhudan moved to the next round.

Mr Malkit Singh Dakha, former minister, Punjab, was the chief guest today. Mr Dakha said that many rural sports festivals in the region were being organised following the Gujjarwal sports.

Mr Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers, will be the chief guest tomorrow and will distribute the prizes.

Meanwhile, “Fire Fighter” owned by Inderpaul Dhaliwal came out triumphant in the dog race yesterday. “Nikku” of Billu Jhand and “Malwa Express” of Satti Khote finished second and third, respectively.

As many as 42 dogs took part in the race on the opening day of the festival.

In giddha, six teams participated and the girls from Master Tara Singh Memorial Collage, Sabzi Mandi, Ludhiana, emerged victorious and Lok Sath of Ludhiana finished runners-up. Mandeep Kaur of Master Tara Singh College was declared the best dancer. Ram Kishan, the drumer, got the first prize in the drum master competition.

In bhangra, the Nachda Punjab team was adjudged the best team and “Lover” from Phillaur secured the second position out of the six teams. Hardeep of Nachda Punjab was named the best dancer.

Twentyone heats were conducted in the bullock-cart race and the following 20 moved to the next round. They were Gagandeep Singh of Jaladiwal, Bagga Singh of Sainakalan, Manjit Singh of Kumkalan, Jagjit Singh of Gujjarwal, Gurminder Singh of Kilarai Pur, Harbans Singh of Assikalan, Bakhshish Singh of Sekhupur, Shiv Dutt of Lohgarh, Tarlochan Singh of Gujjarwal, Mane Khan of Bhudhan, Tara Singh of Gujjarwal, Jaswant Singh of Nurreywal, Gurcharan Singh of Lalton Kalan, Balbir Singh of Gujjarwal, Bela Singh of Lohgarh, Parminder Singh of Gujjarwal, Darshan Singh of Durkot, Gurjant Singh of Batha and Arjan Singh of Gujjarwal.

Earlier, Mr Anurag Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner, inaugurated the three-dev festival. Mr Yurinder Singh Haver, SP, CID, and Mr Teia Singh Dhaliwal, honorary generate secretary, Punjab Basketball Association, were among others who attended the opening ceremony. Mr Pawitter Singh Grewal, chairman of the Amarjit Sports Club, read out the welcome address.