HEALTH

Guidelines for managing bronchitis
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, October 12
In view of steep rise in the number of people suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) like bronchitis, guidelines for its management at the primary level have been prepared by the PGI Pulmonary Medicine Department for dissemination in the whole country.

“The problem of COPD is on the rise and being a progressive disease, the need for having guidelines for its diagnosis and management was felt by the WHO,” informed Dr S.K. Jindal, Head of Pulmonary Medicine at the PGI. The issue was discussed at length at the day-long Annual Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Update at the PGI today.

Dr Jindal said the guidelines had been prepared in consultation with experts from national institutes, medical colleges and representatives from government and private health service. Experts from the Indian Council of Medical Research, Indian Chest Society, National College of Chest Physicians and the American College of Chest Physicians were also involved in the preparation of these guidelines.

Dr Jindal said the guidelines were being disseminated through various channels like medical colleges and drug companies, so that the main objective of reaching out to the primary care level was achieved. “Unfortunately, the problem is not being diagnosed at the primary level due to lack of awareness amongst the doctors, resulting in such patients condition getting aggravated,” explained Dr Jindal.

He said the respective state health departments should hold workshops for doctors to disseminate these guidelines and also incorporate these in the health care structure. He added that though there were global guidelines for the treatment of COPD but it was felt that having consensus guidelines as per the Indian conditions would be more helpful and effective.

Studies have revealed that the prevalence of the disease has been found to be 5 per cent in men and 2.7 per cent in women, above the age of 30. The risk factors include tobacco smoking, passive smoking, use of solid fuel wood like dried dung and wood and air pollution. The symptoms include chronic cough with sputum production for at least three months a year for two or more years.

It has generally been seen that COPD patients coming to tertiary care hospitals for treatment are found to be suffering from infections and serious side effects of steroid use due to wrong diagnosis and treatment. “This could at times lead to infections like tuberculosis and affect the quality of life for some permanently,” said Dr Jindal. 

SPORTS

Anjali, a sure hope for Olympic medal
Arvind Katyal

Chandigarh, October 12
Anjali Vedpathak Bhagwat, a sure hope for the 2004 Athens Olympics medal, on Friday evening reaffirmed the faith reposed in her by the Indian sports fraternity when she cornered the coveted gold medal in the final of the ISSF World Cup held at Milan (Italy). World’s top ranked shooters took part in the meet. Anjali shot 399/400, which is a laudable achievement.

Local sports fraternity, including shooters, were jubilant over the superb show by 33-year-old Anjali.

Mr Gurbir Singh, President of the Punjab Rifle Shooting Association, said, “This proves that the natural ability of Indian shooters is of world class standards. It also strengthens the belief that shooting is one sport where Indians could always do miracles. Mr Gurbir Singh, whose son, Manavjit Sandhu, is also vying for quota place in the Athens Olympics in the trap shooting event, said, “By the grace of God, it is almost certain that Anjali, the winner of this year’s Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award, will bring home a medal in the 2004 Olympics.”

Dalip Singh Chandel, a city-based national air rifle shooter, said, “The World Cup gold medal will give a boost to this sport in the country. In the past, people used to consider shooting to be a hobby sport, but the recent wins and laurels by Indian shooters, with Anjali at the top, has brought a sea change in the attitude towards this sport.” He asked for more media attention to Anjali and other individual performers so as to give mental boost to them.

Shefali Dhillon, a student of Vivek High school, whose elder sister, Sabeeha, an international rifle shooter, is away to Ahmedabad to take part in the National Shooting Championship, said, she was overwhelmed with joy when in the morning, she read about Anjali’s gold medal. She immediately phoned Sabeeha, but she was already aware of it.

Akanksha Chaudhay, a young Pistol shooter of Chandigarh and student of Yadavindra Public School, SAS Nagar, was very happy after reading newspaper reports that India’s pride Anjali Bhagwat had bagged the gold medal. She said the score of 399 out of 400 was really marvellous.

SAI-18 eves win gold cup
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, October 12
Eves of the Sports Authority of India (SAI), Sector 18, bagged the title in the All-India Independence Gold Cup Hockey Tournament, which concluded at Mandi (Himachal Pradesh) recently. The SAI girls outplayed Lyallpur Khalsa college, Jalandhar, by four goals to nil. In the final tie SAI got the better of Dhanoa Academy, Jalandhar, 2-0.

St John’s rout GMS-39

A superb century by Amrinder Pal, who scored an unbeaten 111 runs, enabled St John’s Cricket team in routing Government Model School (GMS), Sector 39, by 97 runs in the knock-out tie of the Shivalik Trophy being played here at the Sector 16 cricket stadium.

Brief scores: St John’s — 165 for one (Amrinder Pal Singh 111 no). GMS-39 — 68 runs all out in 23 overs (Rishi 14, Karan 5 for12, Sidharth 3 for 22). In another tie Vivek High School (VHS), Sector 38, downed GMSSS, Sector 10, by one wicket.

Brief scores: GMSSS-10 — 128 all out in 20.4 overs (Jainesh 25, Surinder 24, Deepak 13, Rajat 4 for19, Ankit 4 for 34). VHS-38 — 129 for nine in 20.1 overs (Rajat 24, Maniraj 17, Uday 14, Surinder 4 for 36).

Dubai sports meet

Cagers of New Public School, Sector18, left last evening for Dubai to take part in the eighth Indian High School (IHS), Dubai Sports Festival-2003, which will be held from October 13 to16 in the IHS. The team was led by principal R.D. Singh and sports teacher Dinesh Singh. Mr R.D. Singh said in this festival school teams from other neighbouring courtiers will also participate.

Basketball tournament

Government College for Girls, Sector 11, Chandigarh, and Panjab University, Chandigarh, won their respective matches in the PU Inter-College Basketball (women) Tournament being played here at PU grounds. GCG eves beat Dev Samaj College for Women, Ferozepur City, 40-03 while PU campus defeated Dev Samaj College for Women, Sector 45, by 60-03.

Carrom championship

Saroj Chandel of the Reserve Bank of India clinched the women’s singles title in the 13th Chandigarh State Carrom Championship which concluded here on Sunday at the St Stephen’s School, Sector 45. Saroj outplayed Sushila Prasad in a tough match 25-24, 25-24. The tournament was organised by the Chandigarh Carrom Association. Ms Gurbinder Kaur Chahal, IAS, Punjab, gave away the prizes.

Kudrat and Harshpreet of Sacred Heart School, Sector 26, won the sub-junior girls’ double title by beating Pallavi and Samridhi Piplani of Mount Carmel School, Sector 47. In the men’s singles semifinal matches Mazhar Khan beat Devinderjit while Gagandeep outplayed Sudhir Sidhu.

Volleyball championship

PATIALA: The Patiala District Volleyball Championship will be held at the polo ground here on October 17 and 18. This was stated by Mr Naresh Pathak, honorary secretary of the Patiala District Volleyball Association here on Sunday. Teams desirous of taking part in the meet may contact Sukhdev Singh before October 16 at the polo ground. Mr Shashi Kant, Inspector-General of Police, Patiala zone, will be the chief guest at the closing function.

Girls' cricket tourney

Mayo College, Ajmer and Yadvindra Public School (YPS), Patiala, will meet in the final of the All-India inter-public school cricket tournament for girls played at the YPS ground here on Sunday.

In the first semifinal Mayo College downed Punjab Public School (PPS), Nabha, by 69 runs while YPS beat Maharani Gayatri Devi School by 24 runs.

In the match for the third position Scindia school, Gwalior, beat Daly College, Indore, by seven wickets.