HEALTH

OPDs turn sick at Mohali hospital
Kulwinder Sangha

SAS Nagar, February 4
The outpatient wing of the Civil Hospital here has been badly hit due to lack of Emergency Medical Officers (EMOs), causing inconvenience to patients apart from adversely affecting the hospital finances.

Despite the hospital acquiring a new wing and being turned into a 100-bedded facility, the government has still not officially upgraded it and posted additional staff, including EMOs.

The situation has become so serious that various OPDs remained closed for 10 to 12 days every month over the past seven months as specialists were often called upon to do evening and night duties in the emergency wing. Besides, specialists instead of working in OPDs, have to go to courts for evidence in connection with medico-legal cases. Such things in the normal course can be handled by EMOs.

On an average, specialists are compelled to perform six to eight evening or night duties and two relating to court evidence every month. Besides, some doctors have to attend meetings called by senior officials like the Managing Director of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation, the Director, Health Services, the Civil Surgeon and the DMC. Patients also suffer when specialists are sent on duty connected with the visit of a VIP or a VVIP in any area extending up to Ropar and Nangal.

For about two years, till May, 2002, doctors posted in dispensaries in the Gharuan block here were being put on emergency duty at the Civil Hospital by rotation. However, it is learnt that the Director, Health Services, had ordered the discontinuance of this system as it was felt that the primary health services were being hit.

Sources say when the EMOs were withdrawn, the then Managing Director of the Corporation had given directions for the identification of four nearby dispensaries with lesser number of patients from where doctors could be called for emergency duty at the Civil Hospital. The identification was to be done by the Ropar Civil Surgeon.

It is reported that the closure of various OPDs has also affected the hospital income. According to available figures, the approximate revenue in April and May last year was 1.20 lakh and Rs 1.25 lakh, respectively. The revenue declined steadily after the EMOs were withdrawn with the figure for June being Rs 89,366 and that for July and December Rs 83,128 and Rs 65,504, respectively.

The DMC, Dr A.K. Khullar, said EMOs were posted only at 100-bedded hospitals. In the case of the local Civil Hospital the upgrading to that level had not yet been done officially. Besides, the report on the identification of the four dispensaries for putting EMOs on emergency duty was submitted to the higher authorities about two months ago and action in this regard was to be taken at that level.

Urology Gold Medal for PGI Director
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 4
The PGI Director, Prof S.K. Sharma, has been selected for the Urology Gold Medal and Dr Himadiri Sarkar Memorial Oration for 2003 - 2004. The decision was taken at the annual conference of the Urological Society of India, at Guwahati last month.

Prof S.K. Sharma, who also heads the Urology Department of the PGI, demitted office as the president of the Urological Society of India at its 36th annual conference. He delivered Marudhara Jodhpur Trust Oration at the annual conference of the North Zone Chapter of the Urological Society of India held at Lucknow recently.

SPORTS

Tushar loses to unseeded player 
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 4
The second day of the ongoing ITF Junior Ranking Tennis Tournament, organised by the Chandigarh Lawn Tennis Association and being played at Tennis Stadium, Sector 10, brought disappointment for the local tennis buffs when sixth-seed Tushar Liberhan went down fighting Cavaday Nicholas, an unseeded British player, in straight sets.

In an other match, third-seed Chatwinder Singh of India and CLTA trainee moved into the second round by beating Arjun Talwar, another CLTA trainee, in straight sets, 6-0, 6-2. In other matches, top-seed Karan Rastogi of India beat Lior Barbash of Israel, 6-3, 6-2. Sanam K. Singh (CLTA) also won his match against Punna Vikas to move into the second round. In the girls section seeded players won their matches with the top-seed Tangpong Montinee of Thailand winning easily against Oormila Ram of India, while third-seed Sanna Bhambri overcame Volobueva Elena of Russia in three thrilling sets. CLTA girl Taskeen Bains went down fighting to Kasztelaniec Klaudyn of Poland.

Results: girls (singles), first round:- Kasztelaniec Klaudyn (POL) beat. Bains Taskeen (IND) 6-0, 6-3; Bhambri Sanna (IND) beat Volobueva Elena (RUS); 6-4, 6-7 (5) 6-3; Tangpong Montinee (THA) beat. Oormila Ram (IND), 6-2, 6-1.

Boys (singles) first round: Rastogi Karan (IND) beat. Lior Barbash (ISR), 6-3, 6-2; Jones Maxs (GBR) beat Samrat Gautham (IND), 5-7, 6-4, 6-2; Amir Weintraub (ISR) beat Murray Jamie (GBR), 6-2, 6-1, Singh K. Sanam (IND) beat Punna Vikas (IND), 6-2,4-6,6-4; Singh Chatwinder (IND) beat; Talwar Arjun (IND) 6-0, 6-2; Dev Varman Somdev (IND) beat Mahon Farront (IRL), 6-1, 6-3, Cavaday Nicholas (GBR) beat Liberhan Tushar (IND), 6-1, 6-4; Doakmaiklee Weerapat (THA) beat Inglot Dominic (GBR), 6-2,6-3.

Girls (doubles) first round: -Hsu Wen-Shin/ Hswan-I Husain beat Nusrat B Shefrat/ Kaur Amanpreet, 6-1,6-1; Parfenuk Yana/ Ram Oormila beat Shah Nidhi/ Goswami Parul, 6-3, 2-6,7-5; Lodha Shraddha/ Sitdjimeleva Elenora beat Bar Michal/ Gans Ettie, 6-4, 7-5 (5); Shin Junj Yoon/ Zhokova Anastisia beat Bains Taskeen/ Paul Bahaar, 6-1, 6-2; Zlotikman Efrat/ Nemerovaski Yana beat Polunina Kate/ Kasztelanniec Klaudyna; 6-4, 6-4.

Boys (doubles) first round: -Roy Rupesh/ Dutta Anshuman beat Lior Barbash/ Gamileli Moshko, 7-6 (4), 6-2; Bishnoi Jitin/ Gulati Sidharth beat Sengucchi Ryo/Morizane Tsubasa 6-4, 6-3; Ravid Hezi/ Weintraub beat Liberhan Tushar/ Sharan Divij, 6-3, 6-4; Cavady Nick/ Jones Max beat Sributwong Kiriti/ Weeravat Doakmaiklee 6-4, 6-3; Murry Jamie/ Punna Vikas beat Gupta Sumit Prakash/ Shokeen Vivek 6-4,6-4; Md. Hossain Alamgir/ Roy Amol beat Thakur Paras/ Singh Manjit, 6-2, 6-3; Singh Sanam/ Ganguly Wrik beat Singh Navdeep/ Walia Varun, 4-6, 6-4,6-4;

Sports meet

Pustak School, Janta Colony, Sector 25, Chandigarh, adopted by Vivek High School, Sector 38, for various service projects, held its annual sports meet on Tuesday. Students participated in various events with enthusiasm. They were awarded books on language writing, mathematics. Prizes were also given.

There was an interactive session between Pustak School and Vivek School students. The joy and thrill of participation was obvious at both ends. The participation boosted the morale of slum children towards education.

Table tennis team

The Central Civil Services Regional Board for Culture and Sports, Chandigarh region, has selected an 11-member table tennis team, including five women, for participation in the All India Civil Services TT Meet to be held at Chandigarh from February 14 to 20. Mr A.S. Khokhar, DAG, (Administration), AG, Punjab, will accompany the team as manager, while JBS Sodhi of AG Punjab will be the coach .

The team is: women: Barkha KC, Gurvinder Kaur, Shikha Sharma, Prem Lata and Madhu Walia. Men:Vikas Sharma, Patanjali Kumar, Harish Kumar, Saurav Sharma, Som Nath Pramanic and Alkesh Saini.

ADMINISTRATION

Naresh Kumar is DPR
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 4
The Chandigarh Administration today relieved Mr Vivek Atray of the charge of Director, Public Relations, (DPR), making him free to concentrate on Chandigarh Technology Park in his capacity of Director, Information Technology. Mr Naresh Kumar, an HCS officer, who has just joined the Chandigarh Administration on deputation will be the new DPR, orders issued by the administration said tonight.

In addition to his work as DPR, Mr Naresh Kumar will also work as Director, Hospitality, relieving Mr N.S. Brar, Chief General Manager, CITCO, of the additional charge. Mr Naresh Kumar will also be the new Registering and Licensing Authority relieving Mr S.P. Arora, SDM , (East), of the additional charge. The Mr Naresh Kumar will also take charge as Director, Industries-cum-General Manager, District Industries Centre, relieving Mr H.S. Khandola, Additional Director, GMCH, of the additional charge.