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200 take part in PGI session
Chandigarh, September 19 In her inaugural address, Professor Suri highlighted the need to develop trained manpower in the field and lauded the institute for setting up a separate blood transfusion department. Over 200 delegates, who took part in the programme from all over the region, stressed the quality of blood transfusion services. In the first session, chaired by Prof S.K. Agnihotri and Dr N. Chaudhary from Ahmedabad, Dr Neelam Marwaha, Head of the Transfusion Medicine Department, PGI, talked about storage lesions in blood components and stressed on various changes in blood components on storage which compromised with the quality. Dr Kum Kum Sharma, Head of Department at Jammu, discussed the need of blood component technology as only 15 or 20 per cent of the transfusion centres in the country prepared components. Dr R. K. Chaudhary highlighted the past and current scenario of
transfusio-related viral infections in the country. The transfusion-transmitted diseases like HIV,
HBV, HCV, syphilis and malaria were dwindling due to mandatory screening and improved testing technology, he said. Dr R.R. Sharma of the PGI expressed concern over the risk of bacterial proliferation in blood components and dwelt upon strategies to prevent them. |
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Mental state of pregnant women vital: expert
Chandigarh, September 19 Stating this, Prof N.N. Wig, Emeritus Professor at the PGI, while delivering the Dr P.K. Devi memorial oration on “Motherhood and mental health’’ at the GMCH, Sector 32, today said that while the attention of gynecologists and obstetricians on a pregnant woman are focused on her physical health, the mental health disorders are often overlooked. “If a pregnant woman is mentally unwell, the symptoms are evident from her physical discomfort, which can be back pain, exhaustion and weaknesses. If a woman complains of these symptoms, a good gynaecologist must relate them to a state of depression,’’ said Dr Wig. Studies in India and Pakistan during the past five years have pointed out that the levels of stress among pregnant women in South Asia are more compared to western countries, where 10 to 15 per cent women are in a state of depression before giving birth. In the Indian context, the reasons for high levels of depression include economic poverty, giving birth to a girl child when expectations are high for a male child and domestic violence. “In the western countries, the incidents of single motherhood are the leading factors of stress, while in countries like India the reasons are both psychological and societal,’’ added Dr Wig. The prevalence of stress can adversely affect the newborn, as studies have found that the babies born to depressed mothers weigh much less than other children. It can also lead to a mother-child relationship disorders, where the mother does not love her newborn child but considers it a relief that the delivery has finally taken place. “It is hard for the mothers to admit that they do not love their children. Some even say that they hate their children so much that they want to strangulate them. Proper counselling can help mothers overcome this feeling,’’ added the doctor.
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Genetic defect in foetus can be diagnosed
High-risk pregnant women likely to deliver *
Those going in for pregnancy after the age of 35 years; Chandigarh, September 19 With advancements in gene therapy, which have made it possible that genetic diseases are diagnosed and in some cases even cured before delivery, doctors are recommending a mandatory screening for every pregnant women to know if the foetus has any genetic defect. “Genetic counselling is the process by which the parents are told about the possibility of genetic disorders in their to-be-born child. It is a team effort in which a gynaecologist, a geneticist, paediatrician and a social worker counsel the couple about the genetic disorders in the baby,” said Dr Deepika Deka of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, AIIMS, Delhi, while talking to The Tribune today. Nearly 400 genetic diseases can be caused by structural malfunctioning of genes or genetic disorders. The diseases of kidney, heart, brain, down’s syndrome, thalassemia, are prominent disorders caused by genetic malfunctioning. “With the advances made in the gene therapy, couples must not wait for the baby to be actually born to see whether it is suffering from any genetic disorder. We have various diagnostic tests through which the genetic defect in a foetus can be diagnosed within 10 to 12 weeks of pregnancy,” said Dr Deka. A prior knowledge of the defects can help the couple take a decision whether to have a baby at all. “Till now, most of the genetic disorders can only be diagnosed beforehand but curing them is not easily possible. In such a case, the would-be parents can decide after counselling whether to go in for delivery or for legal medical termination of pregnancy,” said Dr Deka. On the clinical research going on at the AIIMS on gene therapy, the doctor added, “The ongoing research on gene therapy is expected to find cures for many genetic disorders before the delivery actually takes place. The cases of thalassemia and anaemia have been treated at the level of clinical research though their success rate is yet to be determined,’’ she added. |
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2,946 patients examined at camp
Mohali, September 19 More than 150 patients were shortlisted for follow up treatment and cataract surgery. The camp was inaugurated by the SDM, Mohali, Mr M.L. Sharma. As many as 125 persons donated blood during the camp. It was held to mark the 400th centenary celebrations of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib. |
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Free health check-up camp
Panchkula, September 19 A free health check-up camp was also organised for senior citizens at Panchkula. Over 150 people attended the camp. A special feature of the camp was that senior citizens were educated on the “home eye” or “one eye” test by Dr Rajan Chugh, by which they could test their eyes at home themselves. In this test, a person can check his vision by shutting one eye and looking at a particular object like a TV screen or a picture etc. After this, he needs to look at the same object with his other eye and compare the clarity between both eyes. In case, there is some disparity, then he should consult a doctor immediately. When the senior citizens conducted this test on themselves at the camp, over 50 per cent of them discovered that their eyes needed medical attention. |
Hockey team to be announced today
Chandigarh, September 19 Today Mr Gill played host to entire probables and other team members, including German coach Gerhard Rach who arrived last evening, over a lunch at his farmhouse near Nalagarh in Solan district. Later in the evening, the team had an informal practice session. Except Dhanraj Pillay, Gaganajit Singh, Prabhjot Singh and Baljit Dhillon, all other key members of the Indian Hockey team that played in Athens Olympics are attending the camp. The team will play four tests in Pakistan while equal number of tests in India. On October 6, both sides will play a Test match at Sector 42 Hockey Stadium. Meanwhile, the electronic score boards have been installed in the stadium for the above test match. The team will leave for Delhi for its onward journey to Lahore on September 21. Panchkula XI beat Chandigarh XI Superb bowling by Arvind Rawat, who claimed five wickets for 22 runs, while Jitender Billa took three wickets for 23 runs enabled Panchkula
District XI in beating Chandigarh District XI by seven wickets in the Haryana State Inter
District under 19 cricket match played here today at JR Institute of
Cricket-Technology, Barwala, near here. Now Panchkula will play their next match in Panipat on September 21. Brief scores:
Chandigarh District XI: 69 runs all out in 25.3 overs (Sumit Kamboj17, Arvind Rawat 5 for 22, Jitender Billa 3 for 23). Panchkula
District XI: 70 run for three in 23.3 overs (Sunny Sharma 14, Mandeep Singla 12, Vishal Goel 13 n.o., Nitin Mehtani 13
n.o.). St Xavier’s School in final Hosts St Xavier’s School, Sector 44, stormed in the final of the St Xavier’s six-a-side Soccer Tournament which entered the penultimate day here today. They will now meet Sanjay Public ‘A’ School, Sector 44. In girls section, Government Model Senior Secondary School, Sector 35, and Government Girls Senior Secondary School, Sector 23, will meet each other in the final to be held tomorrow. Today’s results:
Boys: semi-final: St Xavier’s-44 beat YPS, Mohali 4-1; Sanjay Public School-44 ‘A’ beat Sanjay Public ‘B’-2-1. Girls;
GMSSS-35 beat St Xavier’s-44 2-1; GGSSS-23 ‘A’ beat GMSSS-46 2-0. Vijay wins dart
championship Vijay Kumar with 44 points emerged winner in the Third Chandigarh Open Darts Championship played here today at Gobind Banquet Hall, Sector 46. The meet was organised by the Chandigarh Darts Association. Mr Sarabjit Singh Pandher, former President of the Chandigarh Press Club was the chief guest. The results are, Vijay Kumar 1, Aman Parmar 2, Suresh 3, Neeraj 4, Ragini 5. Karate camp A six-day free karate training camp will be organised by the Karate-Do Indo-Ryu Association International at Rajasthan Bhavan, Sector 33, Chandigarh, from September 20 to 25. The camp is open to all age groups and will be held from 6 pm to 7.30 pm. Sensei R.P. Singh, Chief Technical Director of the Association, will be the chief guest on the concluding day of the camp on September 25. Chess competition A chess competition for children in below 18 years was held at the Panjab University Staff Club where more than 40 children took part. In Group A meant for below 10 years, Arnab defeated Saurabh while in Group B, Parampreet Caur downed Gurtej. Football meet As many as 16 teams have confirmed their participation in the Chandigarh Senior Men Football Championship for Pandit Harbans Lal Memorial Trophy which will be held from September 21 to 24 at Football Stadium, Sector 17.This was stated by Mr Ravinder Talwar, President, Chandigarh Football Association. In this meet, 30 probables will be selected to undergo a coaching camp prior to their participation in the forthcoming 59th Senior National Football Championship for Santosh Trophy to be held from October 14 to 31 in New Delhi. Chess tourney The Chandigarh Chess Association will hold the under-25 Chess Championship-2004 at St Xavier’s Senior Secondary School, Sector 44, from September 24 to 26. A two-member team will be selected to represent Chandigarh in the National Chess meet to be held at Vijaywada from October 28 to November 5. Entries close on September 23. |
Staff shortage hits MC functioning
Panchkula, September 19 A total of 104 posts were sanctioned by the department in October, 2002, though the council had initially sought 549 posts. Of the sanctioned posts, 47 posts were sanctioned for the Fire Department, including 26 posts of fireman, nine each of leading fireman and driver / operator, and, one each of fire officer, assistant fire officer and peon, which has a skeletal strength of 17 personnel including the Fire Officer. Other than filling the posts of fireman, staff was to be hired for the remaining 57 posts for Engineering Wing and Town Planning Wing of the MC. Posts of clerical staff, building inspector, accountant and driver were to be filled later. It was also decided that the MC would privatise all works, including repair/relaying of roads, sanitation, and maintenance of streetlights and parks. As of now, the MC staff consists of one Executive Officer, Secretary, Municipal Engineer, Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), Superintendent, Tax, Accountant, and peon each, two clerks in the tax branch, 17 personnel in the Fire Department, and two building inspectors. A clerk and an assistant town planner have been sent on deputation from other departments. Ever since the MC came into existence in January, 2001, more than 80 per cent of the area of the township, including Sectors 2, 4, 6 and 19, Industrial Area Phase I and II, and Mansa Devi Complex, Sector 4 and 5 and 13 villages, has been transferred to the local body by Haryana Urban Development Authority (HUDA). The maintenance and sanitation of all internal roads of these sectors, about 500 kms. of road length, 8,400 streetlights in these sectors and 195 parks is now being done by the MC. The maintenance of external roads, water supply and sewerage is still being done by HUDA in these sectors, while Sectors 1, 3, 5, 20, 21, 25 and 27 are still under HUDA. Officials in the MC say that manpower constraint was affecting their work, and a skeletal staff is being forced to put in extra working hours in order to deal with the heavy workload. The matter regarding filling of vacancies in the MC is pending with the district administration, they added. |
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