HEALTH

PNB organises medical camp
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 27
Punjab National Bank, zonal office, Ludhiana, organised a health check-up camp in collaboration with Global Cancer Concern India and Mohan Dai Oswal Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation, Ludhiana, on Saturday.

“Prevention is better than cure and healthy mind lives in healthy body”, this was stated by Mr U.S. Bhargava, general manager, Punjab National Bank, Punjab Zone, while inaugurating the camp. Mr Bhargava said the bank had also organised such camps in the past which resulted in the well-being of its employees and general public. He thanked Ms Savita Sodhi, general manager of Global Cancer Concern India and the team of doctors, including Dr Raman Arora, Dr S. Verma, Dr Tejinder Kaur, Dr Poonam Mahajan from the Mohan Dai Oswal Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation for holding such a camp for employees of the zonal office. The bank was not only taking care of the working environment for its employees but also concerned with the health of its employees.

Mr Bhargava said that the bank was going to contribute Rs 50 lakh towards cancer research in India, out of which the Punjab zone was contributing Rs 10 lakh. This contribution will lead to research in the treatment of the cancer disease which will ultimately help the masses to overcome this deadly disease.

Speaking on this occasion, Ms Sodhi said though cancer was a deadly disease, it was curable if timely detected. She told that aim of their organisation was to create awareness among the masses for its early detection.

Dr Raman Arora of the Mohan Dai Oswal Cancer Treatment and Research Foundation told the employees about the preventive measures to be taken to avoid cancer. He told death due to cancer could be avoided if timely medical help was provided to the public by telling them about certain tests which could detect the cancer. He told that there was need to remove the myth from the minds of the pubic that cancer patient could not survive for a long time. He told that with the timely medical help and early detection of cancer, a cancer patient can also live a life like a normal person.

Doctors decry Talwandi’s statement
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 27
About 30 doctors of the Civil Hospital, here, demonstrated against former Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) president Jagdev Singh Talwandi’s statement, published in a section of media, in which he had accused Dr Y.C. Markan, Senior Medical Officer of the hospital, of removing kidneys of Ludhiana Central Jail prisoners, who came to him for treatment.

The hospital services were paralysed for over an hour when the doctors and about 300 paramedical staff demonstrated against “false allegations levelled against Dr Markan” at the hospital premises on Saturday. The doctors alleged that such statements would create an atmosphere of terror, bringing down the morale of the doctors and the hospital. “Such allegations are false and baseless as the Civil Hospital does not have the facility of dialysis, let alone kidney transfer”, said an agitating doctor.

Dr Markan, when contacted, refuted all allegations. He said, “There is no possibility of doing kidney transplants in the hospital as we do not have the infrastructure. Prisoners are VIPs in the hospital. How can we ask them to donate their kidneys? In fact, Mr Talwandi is trying to settle scores with me as in the past, I had refused to extend illegal favour to him and his son.

The doctors have urged the Chief Minister to intervene into the matter and punish culprits and restore the prestige of the hospital.

It may be mentioned that Mr Talwandi had accused Mr Markan of removing the kidneys of the jail prisoners in the Civil Hospital. In a press note yesterday, Mr Talwandi had charged former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s government with patronising Dr Markan. He alleged that the doctor had even offered Rs 50 lakh to Mr Badal for the party fund. The former SGPC president also said that during Mr Badal’s tenure, the SMO used to bring prisoners to the hospital and remove their kidneys.

Mr Talwandi had also alleged that the reports of Mr Markan’s deeds were brought to the notice of Mr Badal, but a BJP MLA had managed to save him. It was after persistent pressure that Dr Markan was transferred, alleged Mr Talwandi.

Honour for Punjab IDA
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 27
The Indian Dental Association (IDA) Punjab was given the Dr S.T. Rai National Trophy for dental health education activities in rural areas by the IDA headquarters at the inauguration of the 57th Indian Dental Conference at Kochi in Kerala on January 23.

At annual general-body meeting of the body, here, Dr Puneet Girdhar, state secretary of the IDA Punjab, said, last year also, the body had won Dr Ramakanth Venson Award for student activities.

The results of the elections to the IDA Ludhiana were also announced on this occasion. Dr Puneet Girdhar was elected the president, Dr Amar Singh and Dr Navjot Singh the vice-presidents, Dr Rajan Jairath the secretary and Dr Vivek Saggar the convener. The new executive members are Dr Ravi Kapoor, Dr Ajay Chabra, Dr Ishpal Singh, Dr Jaidev Singh, Dr Vineet Gilhotra and Dr Jyotica Manju.

Dr Bhagwan Singh, member of the Senior Central Council of the IDA, congratulated the new team and urged its members to remain united.

Dr J.S. Kharbanda, president of the IDA Punjab, gave away the prizes and certificates to the toppers of all professional courses of Christian Dental College. He also gave away the Dr D.K. Sabharwal Memorial Award and cash prize to Mr Rahul Roy, topper of the final-year BDS course among all dental colleges under the Baba Farid University of Health Sciences.

Dr J.S. Judge, Editor of ‘Journal of IDA Punjab’, presented a vote of thanks and promised all help to the new team.

Talwandi’s remarks baseless: PCMSA
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, January 27
The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) took serious note of the “irresponsible and baseless” statement of former president of the SGPC Jagdev Singh Talwandi against the SMO of Civil Hospital relating him to the kidney scam.

While condemning the statement of the Akali leader, Dr Hardeep Singh, state president of the PCMSA, in a press note said today that resentment prevailed among doctors against the “baseless” statement of Mr Talwandi. “Before issuing any such statement, he should know that the SMO of the Civil Hospital has no power in the organ transplantation, neither in the form of Authorisation Committee nor the hospital has any provision for renal dialysis or renal surgery”, said Dr Hardeep Singh.

Mukandpur College win football title
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, January 27
Mukandpur College defeated Kharar Sports Club, 5-4, in a tie-breaker to bag the football title in the 22nd annual sports festival being organised by the Singh Sports Association at the Sri Hargobind Sahib Sports Complex of Ghungrali Rajputan village near here.

In football (villages), Nawan Pind beat Pakhowal, 1-0, and Gurm defeated Katala with an identical score and secured their berths in the last-four stage.

In track events, Gurmeet Singh of Hoshiarpur emerged victorious in 1500 m race, while the second and the third spot went to Sandeep Singh of Khanna and Sukhwinder Singh of Jalandhar, respectively. In the girls’ section, Bhavanjeet kaur of Dyalpura bagged the first position and Sunita Rani of Khanna finished runner-up. Kamaljeet Kaur of Ludhiana got the third place.

In 400 m race, Bahadur Singh of Khanna emerged triumphant, while Harmel Singh of Machhiwara and Baljinder Singh of Ekolaha finished second and third, respectively. In the girls' section, Bhupinder Kaur of Ludhiana stood first while Baljit Kaur and Harpreet Kaur (also of Ludhiana) finished second and third, respectively.