The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HEALTH

Public-private partnership must in health care
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 26
The EPOS Health Consultants (India) today organised a seminar on ‘Public Private Partnerships in Health Care’. It was inaugurated by the Chief Secretary Delhi Government, Mrs Shailaja Chandra.

The past trend shows that government spending in the health sector has declined in almost all years (except for last three years on account of increase in wage bill), in terms of percentage of the total budget allocations as well as a percentage of the GDP. The public health investment in the country over the years has been comparatively low, and as a percentage of GDP has declined from 1.3 percent in 1990 to 0.9 percent in 1999.

Unfortunately, in health sector India is among the lowest in the world. This provides the framework within which the government has increasingly started thinking in terms of strengthening partnerships with the private sector including NGOs.

Given the above context, EPOS Health Consultants (India) felt this to be the appropriate moment for providing a platform for generating a dialogue on public-private partnerships and related issues, debating perspectives of stakeholders from different sectors and continue the process of dialogue for a meaningful evidence based advocacy to ensure an enabling policy environment.

According to Mr Deepak Bhandari, President of EPOS Health Consultants (India), “Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) has been identified as a key strategy for progress in the health sector. For better results, government should provide the infrastructure and private sector should provide services. Together the two can bridge the required gap of funding in the crucial health care sector to a great extent.”

To ensure that this mission progress towards its desired mandate, EPOS Health Consultants (India) has joined hands with Health Partnerships form India, an initiative for policy reform and investment promotion.

Among the other prominent speakers in the well attended deliberations were: Dr Robert Gaertner, Chief Executive, EPOS Health Consultants; Ms Meenakshi Dutta Ghosh, Project Director & Additional Secretary, NACO, Ministry of Health, Government of India; Mr Shivinder Mohan Singh, MD Forties Health Care Ltd; Dr Ashish Sabarwal, Joint Secretary, Indian Medical Association; Dr Vijay Aruldas, General Secretary; Christian Medical Association.

SPORTS

Delhi down Bihar in handball
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
Delhi trounced Bihar 13-5 in the opening match of the Senior National Baseball Championship at the Delhi University ground. Ashish Kumar and Dileep Kumar scored two runs each for the winners.

Punjab defeated Goa 6-0, Orissa trounced Tamilnadu 12-0 and Chandigarh crushed Pondicherry 5-0 in other matches. The tournament was inaugurated by ACP Karnal Singh, Director of Sports, Delhi University, Dr Sudarshan Pathak, P. C. Bhardwaj and Olympian wrestler Prem Nath were also present.

Queensland team to play in Delhi

New Delhi, March 26
Australia and India will combine cricket and education when a university team from Queensland arrive in India today to play a series of matches with their Indian counterparts. The team will be accompanied by former Australian Test cricket captain Allan Border.

The cricket team comprise players selected from seven of Queensland’s nine universities and will play a series of matches in four Indian cities—in Chennai with the MRF Academy, in Mumbai with the MIG Cricket Club and Mumbai Cricket Association, in Bangalore with the Karnataka State Cricket Association and in New Delhi with an Invitational XI. In Delhi, the team will also conduct a clinic with school cricket coaches..

“Education, like sport, is a great way to bring together the most talented and dedicated members of our global community to work towards our common goals, inspire each other, and ultimately achieve great things together”, noted Allan Border. Known as Australia’s ‘Smart State’, Queensland’s high quality education system, which is noted for its innovation and research and development, is fast becoming a favourite of Indian students.”

Welcoming the innovative combination, the Australian High Commissioner to India Ms Penny Wensely said, “Australia is known for its world class cricket. Our education system and institutions are also world class and becoming increasingly known in India. The tour will highlight our shared love of sport, while promoting greater knowledge of the State of Queensland and its educational institutions.” OSR

Durga Prasad, Piyush shine
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
Deadly bowling by Durga Prasad (4 for 27) and a delightful knock of 60 by Piyush Sharma enabled Chand Khanna Club defeat Daryaganj Gymkhana by three wickets in a Super A Division match of the DDCA League at the Yamuna Sports Complex ground.

Scores: Daryaganj: 177 all out in 34.2 overs (Kshitijkumar 50, Jagdish Allah 40, Kapil Mehta 30, Durga Prasad 4 for 27, Rajeev Rathore 3 for 16, Ravi Sengar 2 for 30). Chand Khanna: 180 for 7 in 39.1 overs (Piyush Sharma 60, Jagdish Singh 3 for 29, Abid Khan 3 for 83).

K N Colts beat Patel Nagar by 51 runs in an A-I Division match at the RSC ground.

Scores: K N Colts: 277 all out in 40 overs (Joginder Singh 90, Tara Chand 65, Sourav Srivastava 35, Hardeep Singh 3 for 46). Patel Nagar Gym: 226 for 9 in 40 overs (Hardeep Singh Bawa 73, Arun Sharma 58, Nitin Madan 31, Joginder Singh 3 for 25, Rahul Bhardwaj 3 for 56).

Gush Club beat Rajender Nagar Club by 17 runs in an A-I Division match at the University ground.

Scores: Gush Club: 205 all out in 40 overs (Ankur Julka 68, Naman Khanna 55, Sabi Kukreja 32, Anmol Bhayana 2 for 12). Rajender Nagar: 188 all out in 37.1 overs (Anmol Bhayana 39, Gaurav Kumar 29, Naman Khanna 3 for 35, Harender Singh 2 for 18).

Lala Ram Charan Club defeated Delhi Gymkhana by eight wickets in an A-II Division match at the University polo ground.

Scores: Delhi Gymkhana: 192 for 8 in 40 overs (Saurabh Malik 86, Raman Sachdev 41, Varun Lohit 30, Amarjeet 2 for 34). Lala Ram Charan: 193 for 2 in 28 overs (Harpreet Singh 96, Satish Kumar 41 n o).

Sonnet Club sail into quarters
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
Sonnet Club defeated Air Sahara by 111 runs and entered the quarter-final of the 14th SAIL Trophy Cricket Tournament at the Mohan Nagar ground.

Scores: Sonnet: 254 for 5 in 40 overs (Parminder Singh 92, 4x4, 4x6, 73b; Saket Bhatia 83, 4x4, 3x6; Shikhar Dhawan 23, Deepak Joom 32, 2x4; Sunil Sharma 1 for 22, Kapil Mehta 1 for 55, Umesh Chowdhury 1 for 34, Ansal Lamba 1 for 58). Air Sahara: 143 all out in 33.2 overs (Deepak Bhatnagar 50, 4x4, 1x6; Anshul Lamba 17, Vikas Chandan 17, Suhail Sharma 3 for 14, Deepak Joom 2 for 5, Karan Harit 2 for 45, M S Negi 2 for 26).

Saturday’s fixture: SAIL vs Mohan Meakins.

Eastern Air Command beat South West
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 26
Dashing batting displays by Mohanty (65, 8x4) and Mahar (91, 12x4) and deadly bowling by Pankaj (6 for 31) helped Eastern Air Command defeat South West Air Command by 43 runs in the final of the Inter-Command Air Force Cricket Championship at the Air Force ground, Palam.

Scores: Eastern Air Command: 248 all out in 40 overs (Mohanty 66, Mahar 91, Amit 23, Dheer 3 for 58, A P Singh 2 for 34, Awasthy 2 for 23). South West Air Command: 205 for 9 in 40 overs (Asif 59, Nagpal 52, Dheer 40 n o, Pankaj 6 for 31).