HEALTH

BODY&MIND
Magician-medico with a message of AIDS
Tripti Nath

IQBAL, a magician, has succeeded in weaving magic to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) among the vulnerable groups and semi-literate slum dwellers in Delhi.

It is therefore not surprising that men, women and children who have enjoyed his magic shows in Jasola and Molarband perhaps know more about HIV/AIDS than some of their urban counterparts.

The credit is shared in equal measure with Ms Shahnaz Akhtar, Senior Programme Officer, looking after Health and Disability in RGF, Project Coordinator and Project Officer, FICCI-SEDF, Community health workers and doctors. Each location has two health workers.

But, when it comes to the medium of communication – Iqbal is the most handy. Using simple tricks, Iqbal sprinkles the message of prevention in his magic shows. He uses three strands of ropes and intertwines them to demonstrate how AIDS, a disease without a cure, can be spread.

During his show, Iqbal spells out how the HIV AIDS virus spreads and tries to clear misconceptions about the possible spread of the deadly disease. For instance, he tells his audiences that AIDS does not spread through a mosquito bite, shaking hands, sharing a meal, swimming in the same pool, embracing, coughing or sneezing.

The Bilaspur Camp in Molarband and the Jagan cluster in Jasola are among the six locations in Delhi, where the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation and the FICCI Socio-Economic Development Foundation are working together to inform, and educate semi-literate people belonging to high risk group. The project in collaboration with FICCI-SEDF was inaugurated last August in Jasola, Molarband, Yamuna Pushta, Shraddhanand Marg, Trilokpuri and Vikas Puri. It targets a population of 10 lakh.

Prior to this, RGF was working with the Delhi Medical Association.

Mr D. Krishna Rao, Media Advisor, RGF, says that the Rajiv Gandhi Mobile AIDS Counselling Clinic, launched in Delhi in ‘95 and in Mumbai in ‘99, is one of the most effective and innovative programmes focussing on prevention, control and management of HIV/AIDS. It provides information, education, counselling (preventive and supportive) to the general population. The programme includes HIV testing, condom distribution and diagnosis of Sexually Transmitted Infections. The project facilitates networking with hospitals and nursing homes for testing and providing health care for persons suffering from HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and Tuberculosis.

Dr G.S. Grewal, Director of the Programme, says, “This is the first time that we are achieving control over a disease by behaviour control. We are not advocating morality. We are warning them of dangerous consequences and asking them to take precautions. Unfortunately, in our country, AIDS is considered a social, not a medical problem. The medical community has failed to respond to the urgency. HIV/AIDS is a medical problem with a very strong social influence.”

Olivia Kindo, a graduate from Patna University, has been working with her junior, Mary Ekha to educate their neighbours in Bilaspur Camp. Olivia says that it was not easy to start with. Not all the 1,200 families in the camp were receptive to the idea and would threaten them with dire consequences if they continue the campaign. But, their persistence paid. Today, the same people are willing to lend them their ears.

Ms Shehnaz Akhtar explains that they have adopted a shift in their approach – from targeted intervention to creating an enabling environment. “If we go to Shraddhanad Marg, we just don’t address women living in the brothels. We also speak to shopkeepers and other people living in the vicinity.”

Dr Rakesh Bansal, Head of the Department of Dermatology at ESI Hospital in Okhla has examined about 100 patients with Sexually Transmitted Infections and Diseases in the last three years in Molarband and Jasola.

“We have held five camps for persons suffering from STDs. The Delhi AIDS Control Society has spared us their van for the camps. We offer syndromic management. We treat patients according to the symptoms.

What is important is that we are offering them help at their doorstep. So far, about 15 persons have come to my hospital. If we suspect HIV in cases of STDs, we advise an Elsia test. We try to respect their need for privacy.”

Community healthcare

PHD Rural Development Foundation (PHDRF), Plariwala India Foundation and Escorts Heart Institute and Research Centre have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for initiating community healthcare programmes in rural areas.

Prof Kiran Walia, MLA from Hauz Khas recently flagged off a mobile medical unit to Guna and Shivpuri in Madhya Pradesh in the presence of Mr P K Jain, President, PHDCCI, Mr P. K. Rajgarhai, Chairman, PHDRDF, Mr G. N. Plariwala from Palriwala India Foundation and Dr R. R. Kasliwal, Senior Consultant, Cardiology, EHIRC. The van is quipped with diagnostic and therapeutic equipment.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Naresh Trehan, Executive Director of EHIRC said, “Escorts Heart Institute initiated the community outreach programme in ‘98 as a social commitment to the rural poor. Taking cognisance of the cardiac injustice in the country, we launched the ‘Mission Save Heart’ to redress the imbalance by providing heart care to the deprived and the underprivileged at their doorstep, in the most remote corners of the country. This initiative is yet another step in that direction.”

Anti-AIDS formulations

In a welcome move, Messers Sati Pharma Ltd., an associate concern of Tayobi International (Hong Kong) Ltd., have announced the launch of its operations with the avowed aim of providing anti-AIDS and anti-cancer formulations to the masses at affordable prices.

All formulations are being manufactured in WHO/GMP certified plant in Mumbai. SATI (Simply Ahead Therapeuutic Inventions) will commence its operations from the northern states and then spread its wings to other states in a phased manner.

The chairman of Sati Pharma, Mr Prem R. Aildasani, says that the company will initially focus on pharmaceutical specialities servicing the segments of diabetes, gynaecology, orthopaedics and gynaecology. “Our goal is to be in the forefront of pharmaceutical research and provide formulations against life-threatening diseases to urban and rural masses at a price they can really afford, says Mr Prem.

Tayobi International, the parent company of Sati Pharma Ltd., is the biggest bulk buyer of steroids and hormones from China.

In the squalid lanes of a camp in Jasola and Molarband, a magician performs memorable tricks sprinkled with messages about HIV/AIDS.

OPD services start at Shastri Park Hospital
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, October 4
The Health Minister, Dr A. K. Walia, while inaugurating the Outdoor Patient Department (OPD) at Shastri Park Hospital today, said the hospital was a Dasehra gift for the residents of East Delhi.

The hospital would offer services in the field of medicine, gynaecology and maternity, paediatric, eye, ENT and dental care services. Dr Walia said Unani, Ayurveda and homeopathy systems of medicine would be started shortly, making the 200-bedded hospital fully functional within the next four to five months.

He said an oncology block was being constructed at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital and would be commissioned shortly. The government also planned to increase the number of beds at Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital from 100 to 200. OPD services are already available at the 216-bedded Chacha Nehru Bal Rog Hospital in Geeta Colony, the 650-bedded Rajiv Gandhi Super Speciality Hospital in Tahirpur and 200-bedded Dr Hedgewar Arogaya Sansthan at Karkardooma.

Referring to the newly constructed hospital, Dr Walia said that the residents of East Delhi would no longer have to cross the Yamuna for medical facilities in the coming months.

Academy Club to meet PNB in final
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, October 4
Academy Club will take on PNB Academy in the final of the Delhi State Hockey League for Clubs at the Shivaji Stadium on Sunday at 4 pm.

In the concluding Super League matches on Saturday, Academy Club defeated Azad Club 7-0, after leading by three goals at half time, while PNB Academy trounced Khalsa Blues 6-0, with four goals coming in the first half.

Rakesh opened the account for Academy Club in the second minute while Sonu added the second goal eight minutes later. Sunil slotted in the third goal in the 17th minute to complete the first half scoring.

On resumption, Rohit Sharma, Hari Das (2) and Ravinder Kumar hit the target.

In the second match, Prabhakar put PNB Academy in the lead in the very first minute while Satpal accounted for the second, third and fifth goals. Dewan Chand scored the fourth goal while Pramod Kumar completed the tally when he converted a penalty stroke.

Delhi Sports Club beat Rajput Club 2-1. Ramesh and K V Singh scored for Delhi Sports. Kuldeep found the mark for Rajput Club.

Soumik slams ton for DAV
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, October 4
Soumik Chatterjee hit a strokeful century to help DAV School, Shalimar Bagh defeat St. Mark School, Meera Bagh by 80 runs in the fourth Parle Cup Inter-School Under-17 Cricket Tournament at the Bharat Nagar ground.

Scores: DAV School, Shalimar Bagh: 239 for 2 in 40 overs (Soumik Chatterjee 126 n o, 9x4, 2x6; Jaladh Dua 56 n o, Hansit Singh 2 for 46).

St. Mark School: 159 all out in 38.5 overs (Vikas Garg 43, Hansit Singh 31, Danish Kambli 3 for 40, Prateek Suneja 2 for 6).

In another match, Ravindra Public School defeated Salwan Public School by nine wickets.

Scores: Salwan: 133 all out in 37.4 overs (Jatin Arora 34 n o, Vipul Gupta 3 for 41).

Ravindra School: 136 for 1 in 20.4 overs (Hemant Singh 75 n o, Anuj Jain 37 n o).

DPS sail into final

Delhi Public School (DPS), R K Puram defeated Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan by 48 runs and entered the final of the 14th Radha Kishan Cricket Tournament organised by the Cambridge Foundation School, Rajouri Garden.

Scores: DPS: 218 (Jatin Bassi 64, 6x4, 2x6; Diwakar Jha 50, 7x4; Nikhil Iyer 23; Vihans Gupta 4 for 30, Eeshan Mehta 2 for 52).

Bhartiya Vidya Bhawan: 171 (Sidhartha Sahni 46, 5x4; Abhilash Kumar 42, 5x4; Nikhil Iyer 3 for 31, Anuj Prasad 2 for 30, Arjun Suri 2 for 23).

Senam Trika stars in UK World Club’s win
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, October 4
A fiery bowling spell of 3 for 20 by leg-spinner Senam Trikha helped U K World Club beat Delhi Blues by six wickets in a league match of the first Gyan Bharati South Delhi Under-17 Cricket Tournament at the Gyan Bharati School ground.

Scores: Delhi Blues: 94 all out in 35.4 overs (Manish Kumar 12, Senam Trikha 3 for 20, Karandeep Singh 2 for 22, Yogesh Kumar 2 for 10).

U K World Club: 95 for 4 in 18.3 overs (Devender Kumar 28, Narender Kumar 28, Ankush Raghav 1 for 21).

Kapil Mehta deadly

A deadly bowling spell of 4 for 27 by Kapil Mehta and an unbeaten half century by Vikas Chandan helped Air Sahara defeat Rajdhani Sports by three wickets to record a last-ball victory and entered the final of the Jai Lal Solanki Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Guru Gobind Singh College ground.

Scores: Rajdhani Sports: 152 all out in 39.2 overs (Naveen Verma 53, Pramod Bhati 25, Kapil Mehta 4 for 27, Surender Dayma 2 for 22). Air Sahara: 153 for 7 in 40 overs (Vikas Chandan 50 n o, Harish Kumar 26, Mohd Atiq 25, Sumit Narwal 2 for 20, Sanjay Verma 2 for 23).

Samridhi upsets Tina in Delhi TT
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, October 4
Samridhi Ahuja beat Tina Khurana 7-11, 11-7, 11-7, 8-11, 11-6 to record an upset victory in the Stag Delhi State Table Tennis Tournament at the Talkatora indoor stadium on Saturday. Sudhanshu Grover beat Raghav Pangasa 11-5, 11-6, 8-11, 11-3 to win the tiny-tots title.

In the semi-finals, Raghav beat Utkarsh Gupta 9-11, 11-6, 11-9, 11-6 while Sudhanshu defeated Sidhant Tyagi 11-2, 11-2, 11-3.

In other sub-junior girls matches, Neha Aggarwal beat Ashita Jain 11-2, 11-7, 11-4; Sanya Sehgal beat Mehak Jain 11-1, 11-2, 11-5; Nikita Kumar beat Vedika Garg 11-5, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7; Nupur Kumar beat Surbhi Goela 14-12, 11-6, 11-7; Esha Monga beat Nikita Rautela 13-11, 15-13, 11-3; Shikha Sharma b Anjali Dalal 11-3, 11-8, 11-4.

CWC beat A R Gym
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, October 4
Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) beat A R Gymkhana by 76 runs to enter the quarter-final of the 13th All-India Shaheed Bhagat Singh Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Scores: CWC: 182 for 8 in 35 overs (Amrish Gautam 50, Sunil Sudan 48, Sachin Chaudhary 3 for 21, hattrick). AR Gym: 106 all out in 29 overs (Sachin Choudhary 42, Rakesh Raman Jha 3 for 25, Harpreet Singh 2 for 18, Arun Sethi 2 for 20).

Steps taken to augment excise revenue in Sonepat
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, October 4
The Central Excise Department has taken a series of measures to augment the revenue in the Sonepat range comprising the districts of Sonepat, Jind and Bahadurgarh in Jhajjar district.

This was stated by Mr Mahinder Singh (IRS), Assistant Commissioner of Central Excise, while inaugurating the new office of the department in the Vardman Complex opposite the civil hospital here yesterday. Large number of traders, industrialists and prominent citizens were present on the occasion.

He also appealed to the trading community to cooperate with the officials of the department in augmenting the revenue of the department at all costs. The department authorities, he said, would provide all facilities to the honest traders.

He also promised to redress the grievances of the traders if they approached him at any time during the office hours. Mr D. R. Sharma, Superintendent of the Central Excise, also spoke on the occasion. The local Central Excise Range office, it may be recalled, has been shifted from Model Town to a new premise at Vardman Complex, near the civil hospital on the Sonepat-Bahalgarh Road with immediate effect.