HEALTH

Diabetes can lead to kidney failure
Monica Sharma

Chandigarh, March 9
Residents beware! Diabetes can actually lead to kidney failure. You may find it hard to believe, but experts from across the seas, attending a conference at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research here, insist half the patients suffering from diabetes end up with failed kidneys.

This is not all. Early detection of kidney disorder in diabetic patients can minimise the chances of renal failure, there is no doubt about it, yet little is done in this regard.

“In India, diabetes is a common malady affecting so many citizens,” says Associate Professor of Medicine with Harvard Medical School at Boston Dr Ajay K. Singh. “Yet, steps to check the involvement of kidneys are not taken”.

The reason is not hard to see. Patients suffering from diabetes, do not go in for early diagnosis to check renal involvement because of ignorance prevailing among the masses in the country.

Though the exact data regarding the involvement of kidneys due to diabetes is not available, ignorance is proving fatal in a large number of cases, doctors reveal.

Little wonder, a government-based programme for screening patients with diabetes to detect any kind of kidney disorder in the initial stages is essential in the country, they maintain. So far, neither the doctors, nor the government, has taken any initiative to screen diabetic patients for detecting the involvement of kidneys.

So if you are suffering from diabetes, take care. Just make sure your kidneys do not get affected in the process. Look out for the tell-tale signs that indicate renal involvement. The symptoms include failing eyesight, protein in the urine, high blood pressure and swelling of the feet.

In case your suspicion is aroused, contact the doctor immediately for carrying out the necessary tests. Also, go in for precautionary measures. First of all, you should immediately stop puffing the cigarette. “Simultaneously, make sure your blood sugar and pressure is well under control,” Dr Ajay Singh suggests.

Another thing. A diabetic patient, apprehending the involvement of kidney, should avoid the consumption of certain drugs, including ‘’Ibuprofen’’. Insulin should also be avoided as far as possible. The drugs make the malady even worse.

Dr Ajay Singh, here to display different models for early detection of kidney problem and the treatment of diabetes before it causes kidney failure, adds, “Ace inhibitors and Angiotensin receptor blockers have emerged as a new treatment for controlling kidney failure.”

In case of kidney involvement, things won’t be easy. “In India, good facilities for treating patients suffering from kidney failure are not available,” Dr Ajay Singh asserts. “Dialysis is not carried out in a substantial number of hospitals. Kidney transplant is also a problem in the country. In India, out of the total population, about six million people die due to absence of dialysis”.

Blood donation camp held
Our Correspondent

Chandigarh, March 9
More than 150 units of blood were donated at the 10th annual blood donation camp organised by the Utttarakhand Yuva Manch at Garhwal Bhavan, Sector 29, here today.

Mr Manmohan Singh, president, Tourism Promotion Society, was the chief guest. As per a press note issued by Mr Gurmeet Singh, president of the manch, a free eye check-up camp was also organised.

SPORTS

Jacob honours sportspersons
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, March 9
More than 100 sportspersons, including coaches, were today honoured by the Punjab Governor and Administrator, UT, Lieut Gen JFR Jacob, (retd), today here at a function held at the Lake Club here. The city-based sportspersons, who had won medals at the 32nd National Games and other open national championships were felicitated at the function today.

General Jacob said that Chandigarh, having the best available infrastructure for various sports, was emerging as the nursery of sports talent in the country. He said that players from Chandigarh having made their mark in different games had brought laurels to the city.

Congratulating the medal winners of National Games and Open National Championships General Jacob said that with more dedication and will power they could make their mark in international sports also.

Prominent among those who were felicitated at the function included Hardeep Kaur, Amandeep Kaur, Gurinder Pal Singh, Sakshi Sharma, Jasbir Singh, Hemlata, Ranjeeta Rana, Sandeep Kaur, Amandeep Kaur, Navneet Kaur, Kanchan, Kanwaljit Brar, Mohinderjit Kaur, Jaswinder Kaur, Shalu, Gurjeet Kaur, Rajni, Parmjit Kaur, Rama Kant, Sunil Walia, Arihant, Karam Vir, Meema, Manoj Kumar, Ajit Singh, Gaurav, Sagar, Ashish, Promod Singh, Bimla Kumari, Dipender Singh, Achhru Paul, Master Aita Ram, Bhupinder Singh, Ritu, Jai Prakash, Madhavi Bharaj, Sonia Saini, Baldev Singh, Naresh Kumar, Vivek Thakur, Sagar Thakur, Sagar Diwan, Krishan Lal, Tamanna, Prabhleen Chauhan, Shaleen Chauhan, Manjit Singh, Iqbal Singh, S.K. Joshi, Sarabjit Singh, Jaslen Narula, Shiv Singh, Lalita Thapa, N. Shashi, Gurvarinder Singh, Chatvinder, Baldev Singh, Laxman Singh, Kirandeep, Gurnoor Kaur, Arvind Choudhary, Abhishek Rattanpal, Jaswinder Singh, Parminder Kamboj, Rohit Randhawa, Satyam Vij, Amanjot Singh, Sarub Kakkar, Arun Wadhawan, Bhupinder Singh, Kriti Puri, Bandeep Kaur, Ganeev Dhillon, Puneet Dhillon, Armeet Kaur, Shakun Salwan, Jyoti Kaushik, Japneet, Sarabjit Singh, Niranjan, Satinder, Surinder, Davinder, Darshan Lal.

Veterans TT meet concludes
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, March 9
Mangla Saraf of Maharashtra and K.K. Rai of Maharashtra emerged winners in the above-40 women’s and men’s sections, respectively, of the 10th National Veterans Table Tennis championship, which concluded here this evening at the Sector 23 TT hall. Mr Nirmaljit Singh Kalsi, IAS, and President, Punjab Veterans Table Tennis Association, presided over the function while Mr M.C. Chowhan, Deputy President, Asian Table Tennis Federation, and Secretary, General Table Tennis Federation of India, distributed the prizes.

Mr Chowhan said the Asian Veterans TT championship will be held at Malaysia in June this year, followed by the World Veterans TT meet to be held at Yokohana, Japan.

Results (All finals):

Above 40: Women: Mangla Saraf Maharashtra b Chitra Gupta Delhi 11-4, 11-8, 11-8; men: K.K. Rai Maharashtra b P.G. Kelkar (Maharashtra 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 11-5, 12-10.

Avove 50: women: Geeta Purania (MP) b Manisha Bodas Maharashtra 11-4, 12-10, 9-11, 9-11, 11-8.

Men: GVSV Rao (AP) b Anjan Dhar West Bengal 11-7, 11-7, 14-12.

Above 60: women: KV Valala (Karnataka) b L. Topic Maharashtra 11-8, 11-8.

Men: K Satyanarayanan, Karnataka b T Anand Rao (AP) 6-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-5, 11-9.

Mixed doubles: Above 40: Sanjeev Sood and Mangla Saraf (Punjab/Maharashtra) b K.K. Roy and Pritibha Gadhe 8-11, 11-7, 11-2, 12-10.

Above 50: M.L. Purania and Geeta Purania (MP) b GVSV Rao and M. Prema 11-9, 11-9, 8-11, 11-7.

GMC sports meet ends

Simrandeep Kaur among girls and Saurabh among boys emerged best athletes at the 10th annual sports meet of Government Medical College, Sector 32, Chandigarh, which concluded here today at the Sector 46 sports complex.

Both also won the 100m event in respective sections. Amit Kansal won the triple jump event. Minal the javelin throw event and Veeraish the 800m race. The team of Anup, Avisham, Amit Kansal and Veeraish also won the 4x400 m race. In the 50m race for children up to six years, Anmol was first, Ishita at second place while Twinkle and Sahiba joint third.

In the 50-metre race for children from six to 12 years, Susheen was first, Ispita Singh stood second while Siddharath Singh was third.

Lal Chand IT Jt Commissioner
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, March 9
Mr Lal Chand has taken over as Joint Commissioner, Income Tax (Range II), Chandigarh, from Mr Pushpinder Singh Punia, an official note issued here said. A 1990 batch Indian Revenue Service officer, he was earlier posted at Palampur.