HEALTH

Rs 50,000 for poor patients
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 11
Mr Harnam Dass Johar, Higher Education Minister, Punjab, has called upon private hospitals to ensure affordable treatment to the poor as at present the cost of treatment in hospitals is so high that it is out of the reach of the common man. He also announced a grant of Rs 50,000 for the treatment facilities for the poor patients at Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH).

Mr Johar was addressing the faculty and students of CMCH at a ‘Fete and Sale’ function organised by the students in connection with the golden jubilee celebrations of CMCH here today.

Appreciating the contribution of CMCH, Mr Johar said the institution, since its inception in 1894, had been working with a missionary spirit in providing the best available medical facilities at affordable costs and at the same time the CMC college had made enormous achievements in imparting quality medical education and a large number of prominent doctors produced by this institution had served the suffering humanity throughout the world. He assured that the state government would extend all kind of help to further improve health facilities in the hospital. Mr Johar said with the invention of latest diagnostic and treatment systems in the medical field, the cost of treatment had become out of reach of the common people and to provide treatment to the weaker sections was the social and moral responsibility of the state and the medical institutions, which should positively make arrangements to subsidise treatments for the poor.

Mr Johar asserted that Punjab Chief Minister had launched an effective tirade against the corruption from all levels in the administration and politics, which would also ensure improvement in the functioning of government hospitals in the state. Mr Johar said to prevent diseases and to improve the environment, the quality of basic amenities to the citizens needed improvement. He said he had asked the Commissioner, Municipal Corporation, to give equal funds for the laying of sewerage, water supply, repair of roads and streetlights in the wards of all the councillors in the city, irrespective of their party affiliation.

Mr Johar also appealed the medical students to acquire competence in their respective fields so that they could serve the humanity in a better way.

Dr T.M. Johnson, Acting Director of the CMCH, highlighted the achievements of the institution over the past 100 years. Dr Mohan Verghese, Principal, CMC, also addressed the function.

Various items ranging from games, eatables, clothes, books, home appliances to luxury cars were on display at the fete. Games like ‘Hit Mr Target’ and ‘Bindi lagao....Inam pao’ attracted an appreciable.

Safe Motherhood Day goes unnoticed
Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, April 11
Though the Government of India has declared April 11, the birthday of Kasturba Gandhi, as Rashtriya Janani Suraksha Divas, the Safe Motherhood Day went unnoticed in the city as hardly any awareness function was organised by the Health Department or the District Administration.

According to reports, more than one lakh women in India die every year due to pregnancy-related causes. Dr Iqbal Ahuja, a leading gynaecologist, said “Rural people still believe in carrying out deliveries at home. These deliveries are performed by untrained persons. They do not use sterilised material, thus increasing the chances of contracting infections. Pregnant women needs extra care and deliveries should be carried out under doctor’s supervision to avoid complications”.

Ms Asha Sharma, a homemaker, said women in India took pregnancies very lightly, whereas in western countries, they were advised to be more conscious about their diet, exercise etc during that period.

Dr Suman Puri, another gynaecologist, said ante-natal check-ups were very important. “Most of the deaths can be prevented if timely healthcare is made available to pregnant women. They should go for at least three ante-natal check-ups at a health centre or hospital. In case of any complication, the woman should be taken to the nearest doctor.”

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has started a new scheme called Rashtriya Janani Suraksha Yojana for women belonging to families below the poverty line. The purpose of this scheme is to encourage deliveries at safer places like hospitals and health centres. Further, to put an end to the practice of female foeticide, the scheme proposes to enhance cash assistance on the birth of a girl child.

IMA condemns doctors’ arrest
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, April 11
Even as the people at large, particularly those having suffered at the hands of doctors in Civil Hospitals and other government health institutions, see the Vigilance Bureau’s Raids on PCMS doctors in the city yesterday as a welcome step towards cleaning of the system, the Indian Medical Association and the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association have come out in the defence of the two doctors arrested from Jamalpur locality on the charges of carrying on private practice.

Both associations have criticised the role of the Vigilance Bureau in arresting the doctors. According to a press note issued by the IMA Ludhiana, some false documents were being forged to make the case stronger against the two doctors as no incriminatory document was found.