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| Wednesday,
April 2, 2003, Chandigarh, India
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Shotgun
defends move on evening OPDs Panchkula, April 1 Though the evening OPD in the PGI has failed to pick up and the Union Health Minister Sushma Swaraj has categorically stated that this would be reviewed, Mr Sinha, filmstar and Minister of State for Shipping, defended his move to introduce evening OPDs in Chandigarh and Delhi. He was addressing mediapersons before presiding over the annual function of Hansraj Public School this evening. Taking credit for starting evening OPDs in Maulana Azad Medical College, and AIIMS in Delhi and the PGI, Chandigarh, he said it was with a lot of persistence on his part and resistance on part of the hospital administration, that he was able to start this novel concept of having OPDs in evenings. “From Health, I have been shifted to wealth,” said the flmstar of yesteryears, while adding, “But my heart still lies in the Health. That is why I have asked Sushma ji, to feel free to ask for any advice with matters related to the Health, as I was wholeheartedly involved in my work as the Health Minister. Anti-tobacco campaigns, AIDS awareness, increasing incidence of diabetes were issues close to my heart, “ he said. Talking about his new job assignment, he said he had been turned more of a corporator in his assignment as Minister of State for Shipping. “Almost 90 per cent of trade in terms of volume and 70 per cent in terms of wealth is carried via the sea. Thus it is an important ministry, “ said Mr Sinha. When asked, why his portfolio had been changed in the recent Cabinet reshuffle, he reamrked, “ ... Shukar hai badla gaya hoon, hataya nahin gaya.” Later, he interacted with children of the school, and gave autographs to children. He was at his wittiest self as he went on stage and narrated his days as an actor. He enthralled the audience with his histrionics while narrating his speech. He also gave away prizes to the children of junior wing of Hansraj Public School, who had excelled in the fields of academics, culture and sports. This was followed by a cultural programme and ballet. The function concluded with balloons being let off in the air and a beautiful firework display.  |
Salt fortified with iron in the offing Chandigarh, April 1 The move is significant as seven out of 10 women suffer from iron deficiency in the country, “even in a rich state like Punjab”. Confirming this Chandigarh’s former Director Health Services, Dr Rameshwar Chander, says, “Deficiency of iron cannot only cause anemia, but affects body’s metabolism also in several cases”. He says, “The problem arises from the fact that most of us lay stress on consuming carbohydrates, instead of green leafy vegetables so rich in iron. In good old days, cooking the food in iron utensils used to take care of the daily requirement, but now things have changed. Iron utensils are rarely used by population residing in the urban areas”. Dr Chander said, “The technology is expected to go a long way in curing the patients suffering from iron deficiency. You see just 1 mg of iron is required daily. Salt sprinkled over vegetables and other dishes will take care of the everyday need”. This is not all. The combination will take care of the iodine requirement also. “Iodine in micrograms is enough to ensure against thyroid and goitre,” Dr Chander said. “So you have everything to gain from the new combination”. You will, however, have to consume the fortified salt with caution. “Excess of everything is bad,” says another doctor wating in the PGI. “Too much of iron is not going to be good for health. It can even affect your lever. This is for sure”. Make sure that the common salt you are currently using is not added to the food articles before these are cooked. The reason is not hard to see. Research has proved that as much as 23 to 38 per cent of iodine in the salt is lost if added to the vegetables before cooking. Little wonder, nutritionists insists that salt should be added only after the stuff is nicely and properly cooked. They added that just 2 to 3 per cent iodine is lost if the salt is later on added to the dish. The story does not end here. You should bake the food as far as possible. Minimum loss occurs during the process of baking. The loss, doctors believe, is maximum when the item is cooked in an open pan. |
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PGI ‘erred’ in ventilator deal Chandigarh, April 1 In the absence of the agreement containing clause regarding service charges for annual maintenance, the ventilators kept lying idle for more than one year. Despite spending a sum of Rs 43.11 lakh on the purchase, the patients have to still face inconvenience as there is an acute shortage of the equipment which is an essential life-support system for critical patients. During the past one year, attendants of patients, especially those in the neurosurgery ward (emergency), had faced a lot of problems.
Relatives of patients had complained that owing to the ventilators being out of order, the attendants were asked to pump the ambu bags as there was no other option. In reply to audit memo No. 77, the PGI simply stated that because of constraint of time, it was decided to get the letter of credit opened and the agreement signed from the supplier in due course. “The reply of the Radiodiagnosis Department is not tenable as the ventilators were purchased without getting the agreement signed by both foreign Principal and Indian agent and as such the purchase worth Rs 43.11 lakh was irregular,” said the objection by the audit. The microprocessor-controlled ventilators were purchased from M/S Puritan Bennett, UK. During the audit it was found that the letter of credit was opened without obtaining the agreement, under which the maintenance of ventilators after the expiry of warranty period was to be undertaken by the company. “Scrutiny of records has revealed that a ventilator had been lying non-functional since April, 2001, another from June onwards, two went out of order in October and another one in February, 2002. The institute already faces an acute shortage of ventilators and with four of these remaining out of order for almost a year, patients have to face a lot of inconvenience. |
Census of govt staff released Chandigarh, April 1 The publication titled “Census of Government Employees Chandigarh Administration -2002” provides data regarding sanctioned, filled-up posts, basic pay and sex. It also indicates the number of employees belonging to the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes, ex-servicemen, handicapped persons, number on the basis of religion, sex, and also the number of deputationists from Punjab, Haryana and other states. The total recruitments made on ad-hoc and regular basis and the number of employees retired on superannuation, voluntary, compulsory, died, terminated and resigned during the year 2001-2002 The publication titled “Census of Public Sector Undertakings and Local Bodies Employees under the control of the Chandigarh Administration, 2002, provides the similar data. |
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