The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HEALTH

Govt apathy, doctors’ greed leads to
slide in healthcare
B S Malik

Sonepat, May 4
Even as considerable increase in the budgetary allocation for medicines has been witnessed during the last two decades, the Sonepat Civil Hospital and most of the community health centres, dispensaries and primary health centre in this district fail to make regular supply of medicines and other life saving drugs.

While the population of this industrial city has increased manifold during the past three decades, medical facilities have lagged behind in the absence of adequate attention from the authorities.

Though the state government had banned the private practices by the doctors, doctors have been known to compel patients to visit their private clinics, which are more expensive than government hospitals.

A survey conducted by this correspondent has revealed that most of the dispensaries in the rural areas do not stock even the most common drugs.

This deficiency has resulted in the increase of malaria and water-borne diseases in the villages.

Many doctors posted in the rural dispensaries, who were interviewed by this correspondent, said that since the patients wanted “instant cure, recourse to antibiotics had become essential”. They also pointed out that even ‘ignorant and uneducated patients’ feel that dependence on old and simple mixtures and tablets was “like travelling in a bullock-cart”.

With just one Civil Hospital at Sonepat and community health centres, dispensaries and primary health centres to cater to the demands of the rural population, there is an urgent need to develop and create better healthcare infrastructure in the district. People want that specialised treatment be spread to the rural areas. The people lament that prescriptions by specialist private doctors are not honoured by the hospitals, dispensaries or primary health centres. In effect, the poor man has to depend on the private chemist, which is often too expensive for his pocket.

Lack of ‘humane approach’ in government hospitals and dispensaries is stated to be the main reason for the growth of private hospitals and nursing homes in this city and elsewhere in the district.

People feel that while the government has provided buildings, doctors and other paramedical staff, there is an urgent need to improve the quality of service. Also, in certain areas the condition of the buildings is ‘deplorable’. Cracks have appeared in the building of the Civil Hospital in this city. Barring Sonepat city, there is no provision for ambulance services in the district.

Most of the specialist doctors enjoy political patronage and they are posted at the stations of their choice. Judging from the lack of protest over the deteriorating healthcare system, it seems the system of private practice works satisfactorily both for the doctors and the patients.

Those unable to find beds in the government hospitals or find the resources for private treatment, are forced to depend on quacks or suffer in silence.

In fact, except in Sonepat and a couple of other villages, the available medical facilities make a ‘mockery’ of the governments protestations of concern for the people’s welfare.

Official sources, however, said that the state government is planning to expand the healthcare facilities by opening more dispensaries in the rural areas. However, the real problem was the shortage of doctors and the paramedical staff in the already existing rural health centres. Vacancies for specialists in the hospitals, dispensaries and primary health centres have not been filled up for years, leading to the deterioration in the health services in the district.

SPORTS

WFI provides new synthetic mats to 40 akharas
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, May 4
The Wrestling Federation of India (WFI), living up to its promise, has made available 40 mats to various akharas and 21 are to be provided to others under the sponsored scheme of the Union Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports. But WFI president M. S. Malik made it clear that the federation had no plans to sideline the traditional ‘akharas’, as the “akhara scheme has been reintroduced” to provide coaches, mats and other essential equipment for the development of wrestling.

He said for this purpose, the Union Government has adopted various akharas in the country, including the Ch Bharat Singh Memorial Akahra (Nidani) and Gol Bagh Akhara (Amritsar), besides providing equipment to Baba Farid Akahra (Faridkot), Gurukul Maha Vidyalaya (Jhajjar), Lala Diwan Chand Akhara (Chhara, Jhajjar) and Mahavir Satdium Akhara, Hissar.

Mr Malik said a lot of organisations have come forward to avail of the 70-30 incentive scheme in which the Government provides 70 per cent of the cost of a wrestling mat, and only the remaining 30 per cent is borne by the beneficiary organisations. He said the response for the scheme has been very encouraging.

He said the WFI had also persuaded the State Governments to give a lot more incentives to the grapplers and also to frame their own sports policy on the lines of the Haryana Government, which ensures caring of the sportspersons from “craddle to grave” in addition to the specific provisions of cash awards in different competitions from Rs 10000 to Rs 1 crore.

Mr Malik also disclosed that the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) had promised to sponsor the entire expenses of eight wrestlers in different weight categories in a bid to win an Olympic medal for India. He said the eight wrestlers will be put through rigorous training, including regular exposure at international competitions and also training abroad.

The WFI chief said the entire expenditure on coaching, equipment, medical cover, insurance and travelling cost during training abroad, and also lodging and board in the USA, will be borne by the CII till the Olympic Games in Athens in August 2004.

Gaurav stars in Rajdhani Sports’ victory
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, May 4
An electrifying unbeaten knock of 71, off 102 balls and studded with seven boundaries, by Gaurav Malhotra was the highlight of Rajdhani Sports Club’s six-wicket victory against Delhi Blues in the opening match of the Goswami Ganesh Dutt Cricket Tournament at the Khalsa College ground in the Delhi University campus on Sunday. Gaurav was named the man of the match.

Former Test player and National cricket selector Madan Lal inaugurated the tournament. He termed the Goswami Tournament as the “best organised” cricket tournament in Delhi. Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) sports secretary Sunil Dev, National Cricket Academy vice-chairman and DDCA vice-president C K Khanna, principal of Khalsa College Dr D S Clair, president of the tournament society K C Vij and organising secretary Virender Katyal were also present. Rajdhani Sports won the toss and put Delhi Blues into bat. But Blues got off to a poor start, and despite a good knock of 59 by Midule Gupta, which came of 70 balls with five fours, they could not consolidate their position and made only 201 for 8 in 40 overs. In reply, Rajdhani Sports notched up 204 for four wickets in 36.2 overs.

Scores: Delhi Blues: 201 for 8 in 40 overs (Mridul Gupta 59, 5x4; Atul Shekhawat 16, 1x4; Ashwani Katyal 17, 2x4; Vaibhav Chauhan 29, 3x4; Tarun Gupta 26 3x4; Ankit Kaista 25 n o, 1x4; T. Tyagi 1 for 26, Lalit Anand 1 for 18, Sanjay Verma 2 for 30, Ravi Yadav 2 for 40, Rajesh Chandra 1 for 22).

Rajdhani Sports: 204 for 4 in 36.2 overs (Padamjit Sherwat 57, 9x4, 1x6; Gaurav Malhotra 71 n o, 7x4; Sonu Vaid 24,1x4; Parmod Bhatti 30 n o, 2x4; Mukesh Diwan 1 for 41, Tarun Gupta 2 for 41, Ashwani Katyal 1 for 21).

Monday’s fixture: Goswami Ganesh Dutt Club vs Young Friends Club — Khalsa College ground; 7.30 am.

Deepak shines in inter-school TT
Our Sports Reporter

Rohtak, May 4
Deepak Malik of Jat School defeated Pradeep of Lakhan Majra and won the single’s title (Under-17) of the first Inter-School Table Tennis Championship, organised by the Friends Table Tennis Academy here today. Deepak defeated his rival 11-3, 11-4, 11-8 and 11-9. Earlier, Deepak had defeated Gunranjan Singh of Lakhan Majra in the semi final with a margin of 11-8, 11-9, 13-11 whereas second finalist Pradeep had defeated Sandeep Sangi of Jat School by 12-10, 11-8, 11-5.

In the Under-14 boys’ category, Sandeep (Lakhan Majra) defeated Naman Sharma of Model School by 11-7, 11-7, 7-11 and 11-7. In the final of the girls’ category, Harshita of Pathania Public School beat Richa of University Campus School with a margin of 7-11, 11-6, 12-10, 12-14 and 13-11. In the Under-17 category of girls’, Pragati of University campus school emerged winner defeating Shivani of her own school by 11-5, 11-6, 12-10, 12-14 and 13-11 margin.