The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Chautala opens cardiac services
Our Correspondent

Rohtak, April 26
The Haryana Chief Minister, Mr Om Prakash Chautala, visited Pt B D Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences and inaugurated various services today. The Chief Minister inaugurated Spiral CT Scan - whole body multi-slice spiral CT scanner, costing Rs 3.25 crore in the Department of Radiology, said Dr D. S. Dhankhar, PRO of the institute.

With the inception of this scanner, 8 images could be obtained in a second and the patient got less radiation. The quality of images obtained is very good and can also be useful for detection of calcium in bones and teeth. It has facility for three-dimensional images for better detection and management of fracture and facial surgery, besides providing facilities for angiography of any part of the body, he added. The PGIMS authorities claimed that at least an amount of Rs 50 lakh of the state exchequer could be saved per year by way of fees for these investigations.

Later, Mr Chautala inaugurated a De-addiction centre in the Department of Psychiatry, started at a cost of Rs 9.95 lakh, out of which Rs 8 lakh have been provided by the Central government and rest by the state government. Around 8 lakh drug addicts are likely to get benefit from the centre.

Mr Chautala also inaugurated Lala Sham Lal Super Speciality Centre named after a freedom fighter. The centre had been started at a cost of Rs 3.76 crore. In the first phase, super-specialities, like cardiology, cardio-thoracic surgery and neo-surgery have been shifted to the building, while super-specialities, like neurology would be shifted soon, according to PGI authorities. The state government had already provided Rs 3.11 crore for starting the Cath Lab attached to the cardiothoracic surgery. With this Lab, the patients would not have to go to Delhi and other places for specialised investigations pertaining to the treatment of heart, the authorities claimed.

BODY & MIND
Chest physicians to bring out booklet on SARS
Tripti Nath

Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission K C Pant at the second international conference on breast cancer at the Rajiv Gandhi Research Centre in the Capital on Saturday. — Photo by Anil Sharma

MEMBERS of the governing body of the National College of Chest Physicians (NCCP) have decided to bring out a booklet to educate healthcare professionals on SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), which has claimed 273 lives all over the world. At a meeting of the first national executive of the NCCP here on Saturday, the NCCP members decided to ask all four zones to hold meetings to educate doctors and the public on SARS. Dr S.K. Katiar, Head of the Department, Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases, at GSVM Medical College, Kanpur, said the 12 chest physicians who attended the meeting discussed SARS. Prominent among those who attended the meeting were Dr M.M. Singh, Vice-Chairman of the Tuberculosis Association of India and former Director, New Delhi TB Centre, and Dr V.K. Jain, Head of the Department, TB and Chest Diseases, at Bikaner Medical College. Dr Katiar said it was a misconception the disease was fatal. “It is fatal in only four per cent cases. The mortality rate is higher in elderly people who have pre-exiting disease. The SARS -causing corona virus is airborne. Sneezing and coughing are the main route of infection. Family members of persons who have tested positive for SARS are at the maximum risk of infection. Persons working at international airports and ports are also susceptible to infection.”

Dr S.N. Gaur, Head of the Department of Respiratory Medicine at Patel Chest Institute, said there was no need to push the panic button as the spread of the disease had been controlled. “Persons who have tested positive for SARS have not spread the infection to the community. It is important to screen passengers at the entry point – those arriving from SARS affected countries.”

Task force on SARS

The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) has announced the formation of a task force, which will co-ordinate with the government and the doctors regularly. The task force, announced at a symposium on SARS and other emerging disorders at DMA hall here, will educate the medical fraternity about diseases, which can re-emerge or occur because of seasonal variations. Inaugurating the symposium, the Director General Health Services, Dr S. P. Aggarwal said that although there is no probable case of SARS in the country, doctors have to be cautious. Doctors have been requested to report every case of suspected SARS to the local municipal authorities.

Presiding over the inaugural function, DMA President, Dr Anil Bansal said that all doctors are being instructed to observe universal hygiene precautions so that SARS and other diseases can be prevented.

Invitation to disabled rights activist

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) has invited disabled rights activist Javed Abidi to be a member of their newly constituted core group on disability. In a letter to Abidi, the chairperson of the CII core group on disability and Executive Vice-Chairperson, Indfos Industries Ltd, Ms Chanda Singh, has said the group will spearhead the action required to make disability an issue of considerable importance. The three-pronged strategy of the group will be to increase awareness about the cause of disabled persons especially within the corporate sector, equip disabled persons with skills and advocate new policies for access, education and legal requirements of the disabled. According to the CII, the core group will meet twice a year. It will include representatives from the corporate sector, the media, non-government organisations working in the disability sector besides an architect.

The first meting of the group is scheduled to take place on May 14 here. The Executive Director of the National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP) has termed the CII initiative as the first concrete step taken by the Indian industry to address the issue of disability. The NCPEDP has said the campaign aimed to make the private sector accountable to 70 million disabled people in India. The NCPEDP conducted a survey in 1999 of the top 100 companies in India to study their employment practices vis-a-vis disabled people.

The results were disappointing. The NCPEDP survey showed most companies don’t employ any disabled person. The average employment rate of disabled persons in the private sector was only 0.2 per cent. The public sector fared somewhat better with an employment rate of 0.54 per cent.

Omaxe gets contract for DDU Hospital

Omaxe Construction Ltd has been awarded the prestigious contract of constructing the 300-bed super speciality wing of the Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Hospital. The project is estimated to cost Rs 36 crore and will be completed in three years. The total built-up area for the five-storied structure is about 5.5 lakh square feet. The hospital will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology and modern amenities in all departments, including pathology, microbiology, cardiology, neurology, gastroenterology and urology.

Healthcare segment fragmented

The Chief Minister of Delhi, Ms Sheila Dikshit, observed that the healthcare segment in India was largely fragmented and scattered. Speaking at a function held to commemorate the commencement of work at Max Devki Devi Hospital in Saket, the Chief Minister said there was a severe shortfall in hospital services of high quality in the national Capital. ``Health care is on our priority list and we have been striving to upgrade health care services in the Capital from time to time. With Max Devki Devi Hospital, Delhi will get access to world class medical care and service which Max has already established through its Max hospitals and Dr Max clinics in the National Capital Region (NCR).’’

The Rs 100-crore hospital will have six major operation theatres and handle the entire range of ailments which need hospital care. It will focus on cardiology, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, musculo-skeletal, neurology, emergency services and pharmacy. The hospital will also offer diagnostic services, including non-invasive cardiology, neurology laboratory, imaging services and nuclear medicine.

Seminar on cadaver organ donation

Batra Hospital and Medical Research Centre in association with HOPE Trust (Human Organ Procurement Education Trust) recently organised a seminar on cadaver organ donation.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chairperson and founder trustee of HOPE Trust said the legal issues relating to organ donation had become very crucial today for the medical fraternity. "All of us have to evolve a policy and a consensus so that organ donation does not take a back seat due to legal hurdles. There is need for a greater partnership among law makers, planners, society and medical fraternity.

The seminar marked the beginning of a six-day long awareness campaign at Batra Hospital on the concept of brain death and organ donation. HOPE Trust, a non-government organisation, was set up two years ago to popularise the concept of organ donation.

Gagan Khoda hits ton, ONGC in final
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, April 26
An electrifying unbeaten century (103, 6x6, 8x4, 63b) by Gagan Khoda and a dashing 72 (7x4, 87b) by Ajay Ratra helped Oil and Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) beat Rajasthan Colts (Jaipur) by eights and enter the final of the 13th All-India Om Nath Sood Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Khalsa College ground on Saturday.

The ONGC won the toss and opted to field. But Rajasthan Colts, despite a dashing 92 by Rohit Sharma, with two sixes and eight fours off 199 balls, failed to post a substantial score as their total of 239 proved easy meat for the powerful ONGC batting lineup.

Off-spinner Sunil Joshi (3 for 38) and Rajiv Rathore (2 for 38) put a spanner in the works of the Rajasthan batting with their searing bowling spells.

ONGC raced to the victory target on the strength of the brilliant knocks of Khoda and Ratra. They put on 104 off 16 overs for the second wicket.

Gagan Khoda was presented the Pepsi man of the match award by organising secretary Pramod Sood.

Air Sahara will take on Food Corporation of India in the second semi-final at the Khalsa College ground on Sunday. The final will be played on April 30.

Scores: Rajasthan Colts: 239 for 8 in 40 overs (Rohit Sharma 92, Anshu Jain 28, Abhijeet Sharma 27, Rohit Jhalani 24, Pankaj Gupta 23, Sunil Joshi 3 for 38, Rajiv Rathore 2 for 38).

ONGC: 242 for 2 in 34.2 overs (Gagan Khoda 103 n o, Ajay Ratra 72, Rizwan Shamshad 35 n o).

Central Revenue Club off to winning start
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, April 26
Deadly bowling by Shakti Singh (3 for 23) and Vinod Pandey (3 for 16) helped Central Revenue Sports Club defeat Dantal Hydraulics by eight wickets in the opening match of the Millennium Cup Inter-Institutional Cricket Tournament.

Scores: Dantal Electronics: 79 all out in 28.5 overs (Prashant Ahlawat 13, Tejinder Mann 13, Shakti Singh 3 for 23, Vinod Pandey 3 for 16, Praveen Thapa 2 for 19).

Central Revenue Sports Board: 80 for 2 in 13 overs (Padamjit Sehrawat 38, Pankaj Joshi 28 n o).

Montfort down Young Friends.

Montfort defeated Young Friends Club by nine runs in the second Rajdhani Cup Cricket Tournament at the Najafgarh Sports Club ground.

Scores: Montfort School: 182 for 9 in 35 overs (Abhishek Sharma 45, Saurabh Kumar 30, Arjun Chaudhary 4 for 25, Rakshit Pant 3 for 5).

Young Friends: 173 for 7 in 35 overs (Ishan Bakshi 36, Mahesh Sharma 32, Gaurav Saukeen 3 for 29, Vipul Gupta 2 for 27).

Dena Bank beat Ghaziabad Academy

An all-round performance by Suresh Batra helped Dena Bank beat Ghaziabad Mahanagar Cricket Academy by one wicket and entered the quarter-final of the fourth Abhay Ram BDM Cup Cricket Tournament at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium ground. Suresh Batra was named the man of the match.

Scores: Ghaziabad Academy: 217 for 6 in 40 overs (Dinesh Sharma 70, Ankit Mathur 40, Sudhir Singh 36, Suresh Batra 3 for 32).

Dena Bank: 218 for 9 in 40 overs (Suresh Batra 58, Vishal Sharma 39, Sanjay Sharma 38, Someshwar Sharma 3 for 25, Ashu Sharma 2 for 49).