HEALTH

Data collection study on menopause soon
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh April, 20
With medical research on menopausal-related disorders amongst Indian women still based on Western data, the Indian Menopause Society of India has launched a data collection study at 10 centres in the country.

“As a part of the multi-centric study, a total of 10,000 patients will be covered since a majority of the Indian women continue suffering from menopausal-related disorders, accepting it as a natural problem,” remarked Dr S.K. Wangnoo, secretary general of the society. He along with other prominent doctors attended the launching of the Chandigarh Chapter of the Society at the PGI today.

Dr Wangnoo said the study would shortly be launched in Chandigarh as well. “National consensus on the guidelines for hormone replacement therapy (HRT), which have been approved by the Union Health Ministry, has already been arrived at and very shortly we will circulate it all over the country,” he informed.

Dr Wangnoo, said as a result of menopausal-related disorders like change in the quality of life, depression and behavioural problems, the life of women was severely affected. He said lifestyle changes and a healthy diet could help such women to a great extent.

He said one the biggest problems faced by women due to menopause was osteoporosis, which leads to the weakening of bones.“Due to decrease in bone density, the woman is prone to recurrent fractures, and HRT can be very helpful in checking this problem,” he explained. He said it had now been amply established that HRT was safe if taken under medical supervision and helped improve the quality of life.

He explained that now new molecules had been found which helped maintain bone density without causing side effects.

He said a patient was made to undergo a series of tests before being given HRT and it was safe to take it for a minimum period of 5 years, after which one needs to get tests done regularly. Dr Nirja Chawla, organising secretary of the new Chandigarh chapter, informed that the study to ascertain menopausal problems being faced by women, its incidence and the awareness level would be launched very soon.

‘Create local units to help thalassemics’
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 20
“Doctor why can't there be a permanent cure for thalassemia,” asks 10-year-old Payal, who, along with many children suffering from this genetic disorder, was here to attend an interactive symposium at the PGI on prevention and management of the disease.

The doctor conducting the symposium at the Advanced Paediatric Centre (APC) has no answer for Payal's innocent query, as till date the medical science has failed to find a curative therapy for thalassemia. Barring bone marrow transplant, which costs over Rs 30 lakh, there is no permanent cure for the disease.

It was way back in 1987 that the parents of children, suffering from thalassemia, got together to form an association. The Department of Paediatrics at the PGI too extended all possible help to the association and a special blood transfusion unit was set up at the APC, exclusively for thalassemics.

“Set up to accommodate 150 children, today 326 children are enrolled with us and it has become impossible for us to take in any more, so I have suggested that local chapters of the association be formed in various cities in the region,” remarked Dr R.K. Marwah, who is looking after the unit.

Probably, being the largest centre in the country providing transfusion and other facilities to thalassemic children, doctors here still try and guide all those coming to them. “Apart from the people who were instrumental in setting up of the Thalassemic Children Welfare Association, we will provide all possible help and guidance for the creation of local chapters, ” stresses Dr Marwah. He said the local Government Medical College and Hospital, should also try and set up a unit for thalassemics so that the burden on the PGI could be reduced.

With a long waiting list running into hundreds, the PGI receives a request from almost 80 to 100 new thalassemic cases every year for enrollment. Due to early destruction of red blood corpuscles, regular blood transfusions are required to keep up the haemoglobin level. According to rough estimates, only two per cent cases are detected clinically while many thalassemics die without the disease being detected.

This disease is believed to have originated from the Mediterranean region. As many as 240 million people in the world are carrying thalassemic genes, India being home to 10 per cent of them. Amongst certain communities, including Sindhis, Marwaris, Punjabis, Lohanas and Muslims, the incidence of the disease is higher.

Regular blood transfusion can prolong the life of the patients.

Even though the building, which will house the Bone Marrow Transplant Centre at the PGI, is ready and orders for procuring equipment have been placed, it remains to be seen if the institute will be able to make it functional by the year end.

In today's interaction, the parents of thalassemic children from all over the region discussed issues related to the management and prevention of the disease with Dr Marwah. The PGI Director, Prof S.K. Sharma, inaugurated the symposium.

700 Nirankari devotees donate blood
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 20
More than 700 Nirankari devotees donated blood at two separate camps organised by the Sant Nirankari Mandal today.

Inaugurating the camp held at Sector 30-A, the Punjab Financial Commissioner, Mr Naranjan Singh, said spiritual awakening was playing an important role in making the public realise the need for blood donation.

The Municipal Corporation Mayor, Mr Subhash Chawla, inaugurated the camp held in Mani Majra.

The zonal in charge of Sant Nirankari Mandal, Mr Kesho Ram Nandwani, informed that in order to meet the demand of patients admitted to the PGI and the General Hospital, they would hold eight blood donation camps within the next six months.

He said blood donation had become a mass movement with the followers of the mission, ever since it was started in 1986 as the Human Unity Day in the memory of late Baba Gurcharan Singh.

Young ambassadors advocate positive lifestyle
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 20
Around 25 youths representatives from Bangladesh, Brunnei, Dar-us-Salam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Singapore and Sri Lanka participated in the five-day workshop on positive life in Commonwealth countries in Asia. The workshop concluded today.

The representatives from different countries held sessions under the Commonwealth Youth Programme to discuss drug rehabilitation, counselling, effective communication and resources mobilisation.

As the part of the training, delegates visited villages and slums of the area and watched street play. They also visited the local drug rehabilitation and counselling centres.

The workshop sought to change the carefree and indifferent attitude of young people to a healthy and positive lifestyle. Most of the participants suggested that HIV and AIDS test be made mandatory.

Head of the PGI Dermatology Department Bhushan Kumar presided over the valedictory function CYP Director Raka Rashid also addressed the participants.

SPORTS

KB DAV Centenary School skaters excel
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, April 20
The skaters of KB DAV Centenary School, Sector 7, Chandigarh, brought glory to their school in the two-day Chandigarh State Skating Championship, which concluded this evening at skating rink of the school.

It was a rare honour for city skaters when national games medallists (10 boys and eight girls) were given cash awards totalling Rs 21,000 and wrist watches by Mr B.S. Bahl, Chairman, KB DAV, and Mr T.C. Gupta. Skaters later said it was for the first time in the history of Chandigarh skating that skaters had been accorded proper recognition.

Manjit and Karan Lamba won medals in speed events and later helped their school team secure gold medal in roller hockey. In sub-junior and junior section, KB DAV school emerged winners. In junior girls section, however, St Stephen’s eves outplayed KB DAV to win the title.

Karan Lamba and Manjot won one gold and one silver medal each in speed events. Kriti Puri walked away with two gold medals. Other skaters who won gold medals in various events were: boys section: Ayush Goyal, Rahul Mittal, Anant, Varun Vaid, Gulsagar, Amber Gill; girls section: Isha Goyal, Jyotika, Shakun, Mehak Paul, Nupur and Apurva Mittal.

In the final tie of under-12 sub juniors, played this evening, KB DAV skaters bagged gold medal by defeating Guru Harkishan Public School, Sector 38, by three goals to one.

Chandigarh registers win

Chandigarh beat Mohali by an innings and 168 runs in Inter-district Under-15 Cricket Tournament that concluded in SAS Nagar today.

Chandigarh scored 304 runs in 79 overs. In reply, Mohali-XI could not face the onslaught of Amanjeet, who claimed a total of nine wickets, and Sidhartha Kaul, who claimed a total of eight wickets. As a result, Mohali-XI got all out for 80 runs in their first innings, while in the second innings, they were bundled out for just 56 runs.

Cricket tourney

Fine batting performance by M.P. Singh and Amit Kakria, who scored 62 runs and 54 runs n.o., respectively, enabled Piccadily Cricket Club beat Prudential-XI by 29 runs in a division “A” match of the VIIIth UT league Cricket Tournament for Kinetic Trophy played here today at Cricket Stadium, Sector 16.

In a division “B” match played at PEC-12 cricket grounds, AG, Haryana outplayed Phoenix-XI by seven wickets to earn four points from the first league match.

In a division “C” tie, Elite Cricket club got the better of Chandigarh boys zone by 88 runs, while Competent-XI defeated Axis-XI by seven wickets.