HEALTH

Stringent laws must to check kidney trafficking, says UK expert
Shivani Bhakoo

Ludhiana, January 27
Poverty is the root cause which tempts needy persons here to donate kidneys in lieu of money. This was stated by Dr David Cranston, Consultant Urologist and Transplant Surgeon at Oxford Radcliffe Hospital Trust, Oxford, UK, who was here to deliver a guest lecture at Christian Medical College and Hospital (CMCH) today.

A few years ago, certain cases were highlighted in the UK also but the prevalence of kidney rackets was much higher in India.

In an interview with Ludhiana Tribune, Dr Cranston said the government should adopt stringent laws to stop kidney trafficking in the country.

“It is nothing but sheer exploitation of the poor and the needy and this unethical practice should immediately be stopped”, said Dr Cranston.

He said in England, a majority of kidneys came from accident victims. “We get kidneys of the people who die in accidents. Only a small percentage of relatives donate kidneys of the deceased but we are trying to increase the number”, said Dr David.

Talking about the latest advancements in treating kidney and liver cancer, Dr David said high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) had a high success rate. The machine could focus even the smallest affected area in the body.

“We have to focus that area and when the area is detected, through the rays of the machine, the tissues are destroyed. The technique has helped liver cancer patients. As many as 14 patients have been treated so far. A few kidney cancer patients have also benefitted from this”, the expert said.

Dr David said HIFU was a Chinese machine. As many as 18 machines were available in China and one machine was there in Oxford, UK.

“We have collaborated with the Chinese people for manufacturing HIFU. We will provide technical expertise for the working of the machine. The machine costs around Rs 6 crore”, he said.

The recipient of the Karl Storz Golden Cystoscope Award for the year 2001 of the British Association of Urological Surgeons for contribution to British urology, Dr Cranston is also member of the editorial board of the British Journal of Urology International and Transplantation.

Dr Kim Mammen, Professor and Head, Department of Urology, CMCH, and President of the Urology Council of India, said Dr Cranston was involved in academic interaction of various clinical problems in urological practice and renal transplantation with the Urology Department at the CMCH. Dr Mammen said the laproscopic surgery would soon be introduced here in the CMCH.

SPORTS

Steffi Kala bags three badminton titles
Our Sports Reporter

Ludhiana, January 27
Steffi Kala, the reigning Punjab champion in under-10 singles and doubles badminton, clinched three titles in the Hibird Cycles Ludhiana District Badminton Championship which concluded at the Shastri Hall of the Guru Sports Complex here today.

Steffi, a Class IV student at Sacred Heart Convent Senior Secondary School, Bhai Randhir Singh Nagar, proved her mettle when she came out triumphant in the under-10, under-13 and under-16 girls singles. In the under-10 final, she beat Shubham 11-3, 11-5. In the under-13 section, Steffi defeated Lovleen 11-2, 11-1 to bag the title.

In the under-16 category, Anchal Gupta gave some anxious moments to Steffi before going down 7-11, 7-11 to enable Kala to lift her third individual title.

In the boys section, Antarpreet Singh beat Amit Bhasin 15-5, 15-4 to win the title in the under-10 category while Pranav Chopra defeated Gurrattanvir Singh 15-6, 15-6 to bag the title in the under-13 category. Gurbaksh Singh, a student of Green Land Model Senior Secondary School, GT Road, won two tiltes. He beat Raj Kumar 15-7, 15-6 to clinch the under-19 title and outclassed Raj Kumar 15-10, 15-12 to lift the title in the under-16 category.

Mr Naunihal Singh, SSP, Vigilance, Ludhiana, was the chief guest at the prize distribution function. Mr Sohan Lal Lotey, District Sports Officer, presided over the function. Office- bearers of the Ludhiana District Badminton Association, besides Arun Dhand, former world champion (above-35 category), attended the function.

The association felicitated four local shuttlers who had brought laurels to the city and the state. Gurbax Singh and Raj Kumar, doubles champions (under-13) in 2002-03, Pranav Chopra, runner-up (doubles) in the under-13 category and Steffi Kala, the sub- junior girls state champion, were presented cycles by Mr R.D. Sharma, Chairman, Hibird Safari Group of Industries, the sponsors of the meet.

Results: Boys singles (under-10): Antarpreet Singh b Amit Bhasin 15-5, 15-4.

Boys singles (under-13): Pranav Chopra b Gurrattanvir Singh 15-6, 15-6.

Boys singles (under-16): Gurbaksh Singh b Raj Kumar 15-10, 15-12.

Boys singles (under-19): Gurbaksh Singh b Raj Kumar 15-7, 15-6.

Girls singles (under-10): Steffi Kala b Shubham 11-3, 11-5.

Girls singles (under-13): Steffi Kala b Lovleen 11-2, 11-1.

Girls singles (under-16): Steffi Kala b Anchal Gupta 11-7-11-7.

Girls singles (under-19): Prerna Sood b Mandeep Mangat 11-6, 5-11, 11-6.

Boys doubles (under-10): Antarpreet Singh and Bhavya Dawar b Gorish and Amit Bhasin 15-12, 7-15, 15-8.

Boys doubles (under-13): Gurratanvir Singh and Anand Tiwari b Pranav Chopra and Manu Goel 15-7, 15-3.

Boys doubles (under-16): Gurbaksh Singh and Raj Kumar b Ashutosh and Sachin Jain 15-10, 15-6.

Boys doubles (under-19): Punjab Masih and Aushutosh b Anubhav and Sachin Jain 15-5 15-10; Raj Kumar b Gurrattanvir and Anand Tiwari 15-11, 15-11.