HEALTH

Endosonography ‘can help’ diagnose cancer
Monica Sharma

Chandigarh, February 17
The facility of endosonography — a combination of endoscopy and scanning — is still not available in Chandigarh, even though it is effective in detecting cancer and tumor of the food pipe, stomach and pancreas. The technique is also helpful in detecting stones in the bile duct. It is also useful in diagnosing chest disorders, including lung cancer or tuberculosis. It can also be used for draining pseudo cyst. Doctors say that ultrasound and scanning processes have their own limitations as each and every disorder is not highlighted.

Costing about Rs 70 lakh, the facility is currently available at only 19 centres across the country, including Hyderabad, Mumbai and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.

The PGI authorities here admit that they need the equipment badly for effective diagnosis. On the condition of anonymity, they assert that due to limited budget, the institute has not been able to ensure the installation of the equipment required for endosonography.

The entire process will take at least a year, if not more, they assert. Giving details, they say the institute will first address a letter to the Government of India after receiving a communication from the department concerned. After the completion of all formalities, the budget will be allocated for the purpose. “Only then the authorities will be able to get the equipment installed,” they say.

The authorities add that currently the patients have to travel all the way to New Delhi or the other centres for the examination. This is not all, the process is expensive and they have to pay Rs 2,000, or even more for the purpose, besides travelling and lodging expenses.

The installation of the equipment here will not only save the patients, residing in the region, the inconvenience, but will also bring the test cost down.

Regarding the benefits of the equipment, Dr P.V.J. Sriram from Hyderabad says ‘pancreato-biliary disorders’, including small growth lesions and small stones, not picked by conventional imaging techniques, can be successfully spotted.

Agreeing with him, USA-based Dr Sandeep Bhargava, adds that submucosal lesions, particularly periampullary lesions, can also be detected early. The doctors are in Chandigarh to attend “Endosonography update” at the PGI. During the session, they gave a live demonstration of the endosonography techniques.

List of essential drugs mandatory: expert
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, February 17
Explaining the concept of essential drugs, Professor S.K. Tripathi from Kolkata asserted that a list of such drugs was mandatory in our country.

Addressing delegates at the XII National Workshop on Clinical Pharmacology inaugurated at the PGI today, Professor Tripathi said the list would enable the people to “have drugs at cheaper prices”.

Delivering a lecture on the process of drug development, former Head of PGI’s Department of Pharmacology, Professor P.L. Sharma asserted that drug development was a tedious, expensive, time-consuming and skill-intensive process. It was currently being done by pharmaceutical companies.

On the importance of adhering to specific guidelines while conducting clinical research and carrying out laboratory work, Dr Debashish Hota, from the Department of Pharmacology, said the guidelines were known as “Good Clinical Practice” and “Good Laboratory Practice”.

In her address to welcome the participants from all over the country, the Head of the PGI’s Pharmacology Department, Professor P. Pandhi, revealed that the workshop was initially started in 1982. Since then, every year delegates from academic institutions as well as drug companies participated in the workshop.

SPORTS

Dhudike bags PU kabaddi title
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, February 17
The LLR Government College of Dhudike has bagged the Panjab University Inter-college Men’s Kabaddi (Punjab style) Championship. Malwa College Bondli of Samrala, the GGD SD College of Hariana (Hoshiarpur) and the GHG Khalsa College of Sadhar got second, third and fourth places respectively.

Meanwhile, in the Panjab University Inter-college Inter-zonal Football (men’s) Tournament being played here. The DAV College of Hoshiarpur beat the GHG Khalsa College of Gurusar Sadhar, 4-1, with the half-time score reading 3-0. In another tie, the SGGS Khalsa College of Mahilpur defeated Government College of Sector 11 in Chandigarh, 7-0, with the halftime score being 3-0.

Tomorrow, DAV Hoshiarpur will face GCG-11, while the SGGS Khalsa College of Mahilpur will clash with the GHG Khalsa College of Gurusar Sadhar.

Alkesh, Shikha record wins

Chandigarh, February 17
Alkesh Saini and Shikha Sharma, both of the RSB Chandigarh, moved up in the men’s and women’s sections, respectively, on the opening day of the individual events of the All-India Civil Services Table Tennis Tournament in the Sector 23 Table Tennis Hall here today.

Men (II round) — Nelson Roy b T. Sarkar; Alkesh Saini b Sanjeev Kumar; Debanath b Ajay Trivedi; Dalip Kumar b R. Anandraman; N. Balachandran b D. Oday Kumar; T. Sherang Tope lost to Rahul Das. Women — Indu M.S. b Chitra Gupta; Shantha lost to Poonam; Latika b P.V. Pithva; Shailja Gautam b Madanita; Kedan Bhuttia b Sujatha; M.L. Devika b Susmita Misra; Shashi Kala b Neel Kamal; P. Yalimo lost to Smithi Chowdhry; Shikha Sharma b Mamtha; Mantv Mumu b Shanti. OC