HEALTH

No trace of mobile diagnostic units
Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, August 22
The hope for a better healthcare system to people living in the outskirts of the city remains a distant dream with neither the local health authorities nor the district administration having any information on the presence of ultramodern mobile diagnostic units flagged off from Delhi earlier this week for use in Punjab.

The news of six “Rajiv Gandhi Mobile Diagnostic Units” to be used in Punjab had been received with much enthusiasm by suburban people in the area, who have hardly any access to medical care in government hospitals and dispensaries. Their problem had been further aggravated due to the recent strike by the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) against the abolition of Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA). As a result of which they were not attended to by these doctors.

It may be recalled that the Congress President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, had flagged off six “Rajiv Gandhi Mobile Diagnostic Units” for Punjab to provide modern facilities to people in remote areas of the state on Rajiv Gandhi’s 59th birth anniversary in New Delhi on August 20. But the district administration refused to have received any guidelines from the Health and Family Welfare, Punjab.

One of the department officials, on condition of anonymity, stated that it was just a publicity gimmick. “The project has been launched, it would take days or perhaps months to reach to the people in remote areas”, said the officer.

Dr S.N.Tiwari, Civil Surgeon, when asked about the project, said: “We have not received any guidelines regarding this project. We cannot exactly tell when it would be started”, said Dr Tiwari.

Each such unit will be manned by a medical officer, pathologist, laboratory technician, ophthalmologist and a nurse. These units will be equipped with an ECG machine, eye-testing machine, calorimeter, microscope, semi-auto analyser.

The results of tests like haemoglobin, TLC, DLC, BT, CT, blood sugar, blood urea, serum cholesterol, serum protein, serum uric acid, urine, sputum for AFB etc. will be made available within two hours of the test.

SPORTS

BCM boys in handball final
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, August 22
BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Shastri Nagar, had mixed luck as their boy’s team managed to defeat Alpine International School, Ferozepore road, 11-10, while in the girl’s section they lost to Guru Hargobind School, Sidhwan Khurd, 2-7, in the Sahodaya Schools Handball Tournament at the GMT Senior Secondary School, GT Road, here today.

In the boys’ section, BCM School pipped Alpine School, while Guru Nanak Public School, Sarabha Nagar got the better of Guru Hargobind School, Sidhwan Khurd, 10-9, to enter final.

In the girl’s section, GPS School, Gobind Nagar defeated BCM School, Chandigarh road, 3-1, and Guru Hargobind School, Sidhwan Khurd, outplayed BCM School, Shastri Nagar, 7-2, to set up a title clash.

Softball meet from Aug 29
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, August 22
The 8th edition of the Punjab State Softball Championship for junior boys and girls will be held at Karmasar Rara Sahib, 25 km from here, from August 29 to 31, according to Mr P.N. Passi, honorary secretary, Punjab Softball Association.

Players born on or after January 1, 1986, are eligible to take part in the meet. The participants are required to bring with them their age proof.

The trials to select the state teams will be held on September 1 to finalise the squads for the 21st Junior National Softball Championship scheduled to be held from September 14 to 19 at Puri.

Condolence meeting

The Ludhiana District Table Tennis Association has expressed grief over the demise of upcoming paddler Harminder Chopra (19). Harminder died in a car accident near Jandiala Guru in Amritsar district.

According to Mr Feng Jenn Chiu, honorary secretary of the association, in a condolence meeting held here, the association expressed sympathies with the aggrieved family.