HEALTH

Even common medicines are not available here
Our Correspondent

Sonepat, February 4
In spite of a considerable increase in the budget for medicines during the last two decades, the Sonepat civil hospital and most of the community health centres, dispensaries and primary health centres in the district fail to meet the demand of the medicines, thanks to the failure of the civil surgeon to make the supply of medicines and other life-saving drugs in the health institutions of the district.

A survey conducted by this correspondent has revealed that in most of the dispensaries in the rural area, even the common drugs were not available. This has resulted in the increase of malaria and water-borne diseases in the villages. Many doctors posted in the rural dispensaries interviewed by this correspondent said that since the patients wanted “instant cure recourse to antibiotics had become essential.” They also pointed out that even ignorant and uneducated patients say that dependence on old and simple mixtures and tablets was “like travelling in a bullock-cart”.

Sonepat district has only one civil hospital at Sonepat, but there are a number of community health centres, dispensaries and the primary health centres. But this network of health institutions calls for more development in terms of services, treatment and supply of medicines.

People are not satisfied with the supply of cheap medicines. A prescription from a specialist or for that matter from any government doctor is hardly honoured by the hospital, dispensary or primary health centre for want of medicines. The poor man has to depend on the private chemist.

Lack of human approach in government hospitals and dispensaries is stated to be the main reason for mushroom growth of private hospitals and nursing homes in the city and elsewhere in the district.

The government has provided hospital buildings, doctors and other para-medical staff but what is now required is the quality of service. Also in certain areas, the condition of buildings is deplorable. Cracks have also been appeared in the building of the civil hospital in the city.

Barring Sonepat, the lack of ambulance service in the district is a big handicap.

While the population of this industrial city and a district headquarter has increased manifold during the past three decades, medical facilities have lagged behind in the absence of adequate attention from the authorities.

Though the state government had banned the private practice by the doctors, but the doctors are forcing the visiting patients to pay visits to the private clinics where they have to pay more amount for medical treatment.

The system of private practice works satisfactorily both for the doctors and the patients, judging from the fact that hardly anyone has protested against it. Most of the eminent specialists enjoy political patronage and they are posted at the stations of their choice.

The existing medical facilities at the hospitals and dispensaries and the system of private practice have made no difference to the plight of the common people. Those unable to find beds in the government hospitals or find the money for private treatment, are forced to depend on quacks or suffer to silence until their ailment becomes incurable.

In fact, excepting in Sonepat and a couple of other villages, the available medical facilities make a mockery of the government’s protestations of concern for the people’s welfare.

Official sources, however, said that the state government is planning to expand medical facilities by opening more dispensaries in the rural area. But the real problem was the shortage of doctors and the para-medical staff in the rural health institutions. Vacancies for specialists in the hospitals, dispensaries and primary health centres have not been filled up for years and this has led to the deterioration in the health services. 

Mobile medical unit launched
Our Correspondent

Ghaziabad, February 4
As part of its project to provide free healthcare services at the doorstep of the underprivileged and the elderly, HelpAge India today launched its ‘Mobile Medicare Unit’ (MMU) programme in Ghaziabad.

The Ghaziabad District Magistrate, Mr Santosh Yadav, along with Maj-Gen (Retd) Inderjit Singh Dhillon, director-general of HelpAge India, flagged off the mobile medicare van donated by Bharat Electronic Ltd. (BEL)

BEL has donated Rs five lakh towards the running cost of this mobile medicare van, which will operate in villages in and around the BEL factory and in Greater Noida.

Maj-Gen (Retd) Dhillon said, “Our mobile medicare van supplement the government’s primary health care networks, and by operating in slums and rural areas, they dispense a much needed services amongst people, who are in dire need of these. It is our endeavor to expand this programme to 100 backward districts of the country with the help of supporters like BEL. We are confident that we will be able to do so rapidly.”

The general manager of BEL, Mr N. K. Sharma, said BEL was happy to have become a partner with HelpAge India in community services by donating this van. Apart from the medicare van, which cost Rs 6.5 lakh, BEL will also contribute Rs 5 lakh towards the running cost of the van.

This was the 55th van of the fleet of mobile medicare van already criss-crossing the country to make quality healthcare accessible to the elderly.

The mobile medicare programme is aimed at providing an independent free health care outlet for those disadvantaged people in the silver year of their lives, who cannot afford treatment due to various reasons. HelpAge India’s mobile medicare programme serves as a lifeline to such people, the director general HelpAge India added.

Through HelpAge India’s mobile medicare unit programme 1.2-1.5 million treatments are conducted every year, making it the largest medicare programme of this magnitude in Asia.

SPORTS

Two more seeded players fall by wayside
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 4
Young blood continued to rule the roost as two more seeds bit the dust in the second round of the matchplay section of the Navision 87th All-India Ladies Amateur Golf Championship, co-sponsored by ING Insurance, at the par-72 Karnataka Golf Association Course. Calling the shots were Meghna Bal who ousted second seed Anjali Chopra while Kanika Minocha continued her giant killing spree sending eighth seed Manavi Halwasiya back home to storm into the semifinals in the Gold division.

Veterans Vandana Agarwal and Shalini Malik were the other two semifinalists. While the Kolkatan accounted for local favourite Rani Sonti 2 and 1, Shalini defeated strong challenger Mayali Talwar 5 and 3. Kanika now runs into Vandana Agarwal while Meghana clashes with Shalini Malik.

The Silver Division did not provide any surprises as the seeds justified their biling. Top seed Sonavi Chopra brushed aside the challenge of Indu Srivatsava while second seed Gitah Pandit beat sonia Barman 5 and 4.

Meghana Bal who carried her bag for most part of the round after her father-caddy had injured his shin, dominated her match against the second seed Anjai Chopra whose puttter grew colder and colder during the round.

Taking advantage, the 15-year-old from Shri Ram School in Delhi, Meghna took an early lead on the opening hole. A bogey on the third put Meghna in spot of bother but her opponent made a double giving her a 2-0 lead. It seemed that Anjali was gifting away the holes till she won on the fifth with a brilliant par to reduce the lead. However

Meghna was quick to regain the lead and widen the gap by the ninth taking the turn at 3-up. A good par fetched her the 11th and she maintained the tempo till she three-putted on the 13th for a bogey to lose the hole.

Meghna who shone wth her short game, chipped-in for a birdie on the 15th from the fringe of the green and go 4-up. Needing just a par on the next hole, Meghna promptly made a par to seal the fate of the match. “It was a little bit of luck and good golf. I was a bit nervy before the round as I was playing against a reputed player. But said to myself that I can win,” said the chipry lass who was lucky on at least two occasions where her ball hit the frees and rolled back into the fairway.

In the other semi-final, Kanika Minocha who had felled the top seed in the first round, took on last year’s runner-up Manavi Halwasiya, seeded eight places above her.

After taking on early lead, the Kolkatan made a superb birdie on the fourth to go 2-up. Both the opponents who are also best friends, were able enemies on the course. The Chandigarh lass made a superb par on the ninth to reduce the margin after a see-saw battle.

Khalsa College, Ram Lal Anand enter semis
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 4
A strokeful 74, studded with one six and nine fours, off 83 balls by Agnesh Surya and an all-round display b Paras Dogra (47 and 3 for 31) helped SGTB Khalsa College defeat Hans Raj College by 63 runs and entered the semi-final of the Inter-College Cricket Tournament at the Delhi University ground.

In another match, played at the Khalsa College ground, Ram Lal Anand (RLA) defeated PGDAV College by 45 runs, also to enter the semi-final.

Scores: SGTB Khalsa College: 245 for 7 in 40 overs (Agnesh Surya 74, Paras Dogra 47, Suresh Tanwar 47, Navdeep Tomar 30 n o, Honey Garg 3 for 55).

Hans Raj College: 182 in 36.3 overs (Sumit Rana 47, 3x6, 4x4, 36b; Deepak Sharma 31, Paras Dogra 3 for 31,Vaibhav Rastogi 3 for 22, Aman 2 for 37).

RLA: 262 for 6 in 40 overs (Bhupinder Yadav 64 n o, 4x4, 56b, Lalit Anand 59, 3x4, 58b; Rajinder Bisht 41, 2x6, 6x4, 19b, Rajiv Rana 38, 1x6, 5x4, 40b; Mahesh Prashad 25, Jatin Anand 2 for 53). PGDAV: 217 for 9 in 40 overs (Varun Loht 53, 8x4, 49b, Ashish Tanwar 57, 6x4, 67b; Yogesh 4 for 48, Lalit 2 for 32).

Sonnet Club win

Sonnet Club defeated Rajdhani Sports by nine wickets and entered the semi-final of the fifth Goswami Girdhari Lal Memorial Cricket Tournament at the Kalindi College ground.

Scores: Rajdhani Sports: 136 all out in 35 overs (Damanjeet 32, Sanjay Verma 39, Chaitnaya Nanda 3 for 18, Surav Virmani 2 for 31, Sohail Sharma 2 for 23). Sonnet Club: 137 for 1 in 27 overs (Rahul Diwan 57 n o, Deepak Joon 58 n o).

NIIT annex Phadkar Cup Cricket title

New Delhi, February 4
NIIT defeated B L Kashyap by seven wickets to annex the Phadkar Cup Cricket Tournament at the Teri Oval.

NIIT: 136 for 3 in 23.2 overs (Ashish Gua 81, 8x4, 3x6; Raghubir Krishan 2 for 27). Ashish Guha was named the man of the match.

Jeevan Jyoti beat Vidya Bharati

An all-round display by Manmohan Singh (33 and 3 for 23) and a dashing knock of 48 by Abhinav helped Jeevan Jyoti School defeat Vidhya Bharti School, Rohini by six wickets in the third Ganga School Under-17 Cricket Tournament at the Ganga School ground. Scores: Vidhya Bharti: 148 all out in 28 overs (Kailash 39 n o, Sandeep 28, Vinay 3 for 21, Manmohan 3 for 23). Jeevan Jyoti: 149 for 4 in 25 overs .

North Zone pile up huge total
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, February 4
East Zone were 126 for two wickets in reply to North Zone’s first innings total of 498 in the Vizzy Trophy Cricket Tournament on the second day at the Jamia Millia ground.

North Zone, resuming their knock, piled up 498 in 137 overs with Ankur Sondhi cracking a dashing 160. Amandeep Singh contributed 77 to bolster the North total.

In reply, East Zone started confidently with opener Swapan Das remaining unbeaten on 49 at close of play. Tuman Lal Dewangan was not out on 22 as East made 126 for 2.

Scores: North Zone: 478 (Adnan Ali 67, Maninder Singh 38, Sudhir Singh 60, Ankur Sondhi 160, Amandeep Singh 77, Kesar Chaudhary 30, Gaurav Tyagi 21, Inderjeet Ghatak 5 for 70, S K Vidhyarthi 2 for 80, Arun Soni 2 for 102).

East Zone: 126 for 2 (Swpan Das 49 n o, Arun Kumar 22, S S Das 28, Tuman Lal 22 n o, Amandeep 1 for 35, Gaurav Tyagi 1 for 17).

At the Harbaksh Singh Stadium, West Zone were 180 for 1 in reply to South Zone’s total of 251.

Scores: South Zone: 251 (T Balaji 36, Sarad Babu 19, Hashad Rowle 4 for 49, Nehal Rawal 2 for 40). West Zone: 180 for 1.

Gautam Gambhir, Mithun Manhas in India A team

New Delhi, February 4
Gautam Gambhir and Mithun Manhas have been selected for the India A team against the touring England A. In the absence of Mithun Manhas, Ajay Jadeja will lead the Delhi team in the rest two games of the Sahara Cup series in Kolkata.

Galileo Cricket

Galileo Cricket Max 2004, a unique cricket tournament, will be held on February 7 and 8. The teams will compete on a knock-out basis. Thirty-two teams from the travel industries will participate in the tournament.

Lt-Governor’s Golf

The Lt-Governor’s Golf Tournament will be held on February 7 and 8 at the Qutab Golf Course, Lao Sarai, New Delhi. As many as 150 golfers are expected to participate in it, to be led by Lt. Governor Vijay Kapoor.