The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HEALTH

Dental health mela begins today
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 8
Ignorance about the importance of oral health has led to an increased incidence of dental diseases like caries, gum disorders, irregularly arranged teeth and oral cancer.

A recent survey revealed that more than 84 per cent schoolchildren and about 90 per cent in other age groups were suffering from one or more oral and dental diseases. Due to this, there is an urgent need to make the people aware about the importance of oral health and how they themselves can prevent the onset of oral diseases by following simple hygiene measures.

To achieve these objectives, the Christian Dental College (CDC) has decided to launch a oral health campaign by organising a dental health mela from tomorrow till September 13.

The mela will be formally inaugurated by Mr Santokh Singh, Minister for Medical Education and Research, tomorrow in the assembly hall of the college. Mr Anurag Verma, Deputy Commissioner, will preside and Prof. Satish Sharma, Senator, Panjab University, will be the guest of honour.

An oral hygiene and anti-tobacco rally of about 400 school children will be flagged off by Mr Sandeep Goyal, Deputy Superintendent of Police, from the Civil Hospital. The rally will pass through Field Ganj and Brown Road

In order to create awareness about the importance of good oral health, an on-the-spot painting competition for schoolchildren will be held. A healthy teeth competition for the best smile and healthy teeth and gums will also be held.

An inter-school competition in folk songs, skits and plays on oral health will also be organised on the inaugural day. In addition to educational and promotional aspects of dental health, oral health exhibition, hygiene demonstration and special clinics on diet and nutrition will also be held.

Johar’s assurance to medical practitioners
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 8
Higher Education Minister Harnam Dass Johar has assured the Punjab Ayurvedic and Unani Registered Medical Practitioners Association that he will take up the issue of cancellation of the licences of those who were registered outside the state.

He was speaking at a function organised in his honour by the association at Shree Ganesh Vidyalaya here yesterday. practitioner from all over the state took part and apprised the minister of their long pending demands. Students of the school presented a cultural function.

Mr Johar said ayurveda was an ancient system of medicine that was rooted in out history. It was perfected by the sages of yore and was still a popular mode of treatment in many parts of our country. The treatment may be long. It tackles the genesis of the disease and went beyond symptoms.

He said allopathic treatment was very costly and was out of the reach of the common man as compared to ayurveda and the unani system. It was for this reason that we can see vaids in every nook and cranny of the country curing people at a nominal cost.

The minister also assured the gathering that he will take up the issue of cancellation of the licences of those who were not registered with the state ayurvedic and unani medicine authorities. He also announced a grant of Rs 25, 000 for the association.

Earlier, while welcoming the chief guest, Dr Harbans Lal Arora, president of the association, pointed out that the previous government had discontinued the permission to practise in the state since they had got their degrees or diplomas from other states. He said the permission had been given to them during the Congress regime and now that the same party was in power they should be allowed to practise.

Others who spoke included Mr Shashi Bhushan, principal of the school, Dr Ram Prasad Gupta, Dr Surinder Kumar, Dr Rajesh Arora, Dr Jalor Singh, Dr Ved Parkash Sharma, Mr Ramesh Sharma, Mr Jagdish Marwaha and Mr Chetan.

Poor facilities in rural hospitals flayed
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 8
Vishwa Guru Ravi Dass Mission has criticised poor facilities in rural government hospitals in the state and urged the Health Minister of Panjab to pay attention to the problem so that poor and needy patients are not fleeced by private clinics.

In a press note released here today, Mr Shiv Ram Saroye, president of the Mission, said a large number of children as well as grown ups , who had been bitten by dogs, were not getting the anti-rabies injections at the Lord Mahavira Government Hospital in the city. The patients were buying the anti-rabies injections from the market. Mr Saroye further stated that when he made inquires at the hospital about the shortage of anti-rabies injections, the hospital authorities told him that there was no stock of the same. He said every year, as many as 25,000 victims of dog bites die in the country. He said because of the unavailability of anti-rabies injections in government hospitals, the rural poor were the most affected as they could not afford to buy the anti-rabies injections from the market.

Health awareness drive
Our Correspondent

Mandi Gobindgarh, September 8
Under the rural health survey and awareness programme launched by Desh Bhagat Ayurvedic Hospital, Mandi Gobindgarh, a survey was conducted at Badgujran village on Sunday, according to a press note issued by Dr S.N. Singh, Principal of Ayurvedic College and Hospital, here today.

Dr V.K. Goyal, Dr Mamta along with interns checked the patients. Medicines were given to the patients free of cost.

Children of the village were given vaccinations for various diseases.