The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

HEALTH

BODY & MIND
Don’t turn seat belts into a noose
Tripti Nath

WEARING seat belts in an improper manner can be fatal. A 19-year-old girl realised this much to her pain and discomfort recently when she had to undergo an operation for intestinal rupture. Dr R.K. Batra, Consultant General Surgery, Kaiser Hospital, Panchkula, who was in Delhi last week, operated upon the girl along with Dr S.P. Kaushik, Senior Consultant Surgical Gastroenterology. Dr Batra says that the girl and her family members were on their way to Shimla in a car when she complained of acute pain in the abdomen.

Her parents drove to Solan and consulted a doctor but her pain continued. By the time they reached the multi-speciality Kaiser Hospital in Panchkula, the girl was in a bad shape. Dr Batra says that she had acute abdominal pain. Although, the ultrasound of the abdomen indicated minimal free fluid and no significant injury, the surgeons advised the family to stay overnight. When the ultrasound was repeated the next morning, the surgeons found that she had severe peritonitis. Her abdomen had fluid collection of about a litre. The surgeons performed an exploratory laparotomy (emergency opening of the abdomen) and found two holes (one cm by one cm) in the small intestine and five mm by five mm in the jegunum.

“We closed the holes, washed the abdomen and removed the fluid and the faecal matter. The procedure under general anaesthesia lasted two hours,” says Dr Batra.

He says that it was a good decision to prescribe an ultrasound scan as it may have created pus and septicemia.

Dr Batra says that drivers and occupants of cars should take utmost care while wearing seat belts. The band of the belt can lead to pressure on the abdomen and rupture the liver or spleen.

Untapped potential of medicinal plants

Mr N. C. Saxena, former Secretary, Planning Commission, Dr Manju Sharma, Advisor, Ministry of Science and Technology, Prof Gerry Bodekar, Oxford University, and Prof M. S. Swaminathan, eminent scientist and Director, MSSRF, at an international conference on Herbal Products: Livelihoods and Trade Options.

India’s soil plays a fertile host to as many as 315 of the 400 families of flowering medicinal plants in the world but it is yet to notch a quoteworthy share in the global trade in medicinal plants. Speaking at the first international conference on livelihood and trade options in medicinal plants and herbal products sector here, Ms Leena Chakrabarti, Programme Officer, Oxfam GB said that the emerging sector of herbal products is projected to be among the fastest growing in coming years.

The conference, which concluded here on Saturday was organised by Oxfam GB, an international humanitarian and development organisation with support from the Ministry of Health, Ford Foundation, UNDP and the Agricultural and Processed Food Export Development Authority. The prime objective of the conference is to focus on policy and market promotion issues in the sector.

According to a WHO (World Health Organisation) estimate, the present demand for medicinal plants is about 14 billion US dollars a year and the projected demand by the year 2050 is five trillion US dollars. While the value of global trade in medicinal plants is over 60 billion US dollars (30,000 crore) per year, India’s share is 2,300 crore.

In her inaugural address, Dr Manju Sharma, Advisor, Ministry of Science and Technology quoted findings of a WHO study on the amazing variety of flowering medicinal plant in India. “There are about 400 families of flowering medicinal plants in the world of which at least 315 are represented in India. We have some of the most important medicinal plants in India. We can capitalise on this natural inherent strength and capture large part of the growing trade provided we remain price competitive and ensure quality of the produce and some standards,” she said.

Professor M. S. Swaminathan, eminent scientist, stressed the need to promote organic farming of medicinal plants and inclusion of Ayurveda, Siddha and other Indian systems of medicine in health literacy movements.

Prominent among those who attended the two day conference were Biranchi Upadhyaya, Country Representative of Oxfam GB in India, N.C. Saxena, former Secretary, Planning Commission, Professor Gerald Bodekar from University of Oxford, Ravi Chellam, Country Director, UNDP, Pramod Sharma, President, Ayurvedic Drug Manufacturers Association, R.B.S. Rawat, Head of National Medicinal Plant Board of India and Shekhar Dutt, Secretary, AYUSH previously known as the Department of Indian System of Medicine and Homoepathy (ISM&H).

Wake up to benefits of brisk walking

Maulana Azad Medical College Old Students Association (MAMCOS) plans to give residents of Delhi a wake up call on Sunday morning on the health benefits of brisk walking.

A large number of alumni of MAMC will assemble in front of their college campus on the day of their mid year conference and walk till India Gate. Dr N.P.Singh, Professor of Medicine at MAMC and Lok Nayak and GB Panth Hospital, says that non-communicable diseases as obesity, hypertension, diabetes and osteoporosis can be prevented by lifestyle modifications.

“Brisk walking is the cheapest and most readily available remedy for such diseases. It has been scientifically established that forty minutes of brisk walking five days a week can help in preventing and even treating these diseases,” he said.

Prominent among those who will join the walk on Sunday are the Director-General Health Services, Government of India, Dr S. P. Aggarwal, Dr K. K. Sethi. Chairman, Delhi Lung and Heart Centre and Dr Harsh Mahajan, a Delhi-based radiologist.

Besides, Dr Siddharth Sen, a paediatrician from the UK chapter of MAMCO, and Dr Jaskiran Singh Cheema, Manchester-based gerentologist from MAMCOAANA (Maulana Azad Medical College Old Students Association of North America).

SPORTS

Agnesh slams century
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 27
A dashing century by Agnesh Surya helped R R Gymkhana defeat Central Warehousing Corporation (CWC) by 117 runs in a Super A Division match of the DDCA League at the Yamuna complex ground.

Scores: R R Gymkhana: 272 for 5 in 40 overs (Agnesh Surya 118, Gurmeet Singh 87, R R Jha 2 for 47).

CWC: 155 for 5 in 40 overs (Rajeev Vinayak 78 n o, Abhishek Sharma 2 for 20).

Gush Club defeated Kishan Ganj Colts by two runs in an A-I Division match at the Mohan Meakins ground.

Scores: Gush Club: 242 for 7 in 40 overs (Nikhil Punia 74, Naman Khanna 54, Gursharan Singh 51, Digvijay 3 for 47).

Kishan Ganj: 240 for 7 in 40 overs (Digvijay Singh 73, Jaswinder Singh 44, Udit Kumar 31, Naman Khanna 2 for 32).

Times of India defeated Delhi Cricketers by three runs in an A-I Division match.

Scores: Times of India: 194 for 8 in 35 overs (Arun Singh 66, Kamal Sharma 63, Manoj Sharma 4 for 30, Varun Tyagi 3 for 39). Delhi Cricket Club: 191 all out in 34.5 overs (Manoj Sharma 90, Jagat Pal Gaur 46, Sandeep Angurala 3 for 37, Arun Singh 3 for 40, Kamal Sharma 2 for 12).

Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) defeated Century Club by three wickets in an A-I Division match at the RSC ground. Scores: Century Club: 148 all out in 32.2 overs (Rajat Sharma 43, Rajesh Lucky 35, Mahesh Sharma 2 for 33, Pradeep Kumar 2 for 34). DTC: 149 for 7 in 34 over (Ramesh Sharma 32, Mahesh Sharma 23, Darshan Lal 2 for 19, Pratap Rawat 2 for 26, Rajat Kumar 2 for 20).

Sriram hits ton

A strokeful century by K A Sriram (100, 50b, 17x4, 1x6) and deadly bowling by Sandeep Sharma (3 for 46) helped HSS-BPO beat Aviva by 44 runs in the Reebok Cricket Tournament at the Palam ground. Scores: HSS-BPO: 237 for 4 in 25 overs (K A Sriram 100, Vikram Sharma 67, Farhad Alam 2 for 26). Aviva: 193 all out in 24.1 overs (Mukesh Yadav 60, Alok Rishi 30, Rakesh bhat 3 for 10, Sandeep Sharma 3 for 47, Chandresh 2 for 12).

DAV School to hold Under-15 tourney
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 27
DAV School, Dayanand Vihar will organise an Under-15 Cricket Tournament from April 1 at the Yamuna Vihar complex.

Principal of the school Renu Laroia said 12 top teams will participate in the tournament. The teams are Sonnet, UK World, Gyan Bharati, Madan Lal Academy, Hansraj Model, Bharat National, Dronacharya, Lovely School and hosts DAV.

Roushil Bhaskar deadly

Deadly bowling by Roushil Bhaskar (4 for 7) helped Sonnet Club defeat Ramakant Achrekar Cricket Foundation by 129 runs in the R. C. Sharma Memorial Under-17 Cricket Tournament.

Scores: Sonnet: 211 for 7 in 40 overs (Karan Rai 72, Deep Luthra 37 n o, Ashwat Kumar 32, Vartik Tihara 30, Karan Harit 22, Sandeep Kaushik 3 for 42, Rahul Sonkar 2 for 25, Surender Pal 2 for 43).

RKACF: 82 all out in 37.2 overs (Shobhit Sharma 29, Abhishek Gotwal 25, Rushil Bhaskar 4 for 7, Karan Harit 3 for 10, D R Bhatwal 3 for 27).

Salwan Boys in semis

An all-round display by Yogesh Nagar (3 for 35 and 58 n o) helped Salwan Boys defeat GMCA by nine wickets and entered the semi-final of the Mahender Kaushik Memorial Under-15 Cricket Tournament at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.

Scores: GMCA: 106 all out in 38 overs (Kanish Thukral 38, Gaurav Tomar 30, Yogesh Nagar 3 for 35, Gurpreet Singh 2 for 20).

Salwan Boys: 107 for 1 in 20.2 overs (Yogesh Nagar 58 n o, Siddarth Sharma 44).

Pak club to tour India
Our Sports Reporter

New Delhi, March 27
Morning Club of Pakistan will tour India at the invitation of the Scindia Club India and Indraprastha Sports Academy from April 16 to 30. Organising secretary Baljeet Joban said the Pak club will play eight matches in Delhi and two at Dharmashala in Himachal Pradesh.

Indian Oil win

Indian Oil Corporation defeated KPL International by 25 runs in the Suntan Cup Cricket Tournament. Scores: IOC: 145 for 6 in 25 overs (Manoj Gupta 45, A K Singh 32, Umesh Sundriyal 30).

KPL International: 120 all out in 24 overs (Bharat Seth 40, Umesh Sundriyal 3 for 12, V K Vij 4 for 14, Devender 2 for 30).

Modern School advance

Modern School, Barakhamba Road defeated Ravindra Public School by 50 runs in the second Pankaj Jain Under-14 Cricket Tournament at the Bal Bharati school ground.

Scores: Modern: 255 for 7 in 35 overs (Manan 92, Vaibhav Kapoor 54, Jaspreet Singh 34, Gaurav Jindal 4 for 26). Ravindra: 205 all out in 34 overs (Chander Thapa 60, Neeraj Kumar 25, Manan 2 for 15).