HEALTH

Free legal aid for mentally depressed sought
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, October 10
District and Sessions Judge-cum-Chairman, District Legal Services Authority (DLSA), Baldev Singh today stressed the need to extend all help to mentally depressed including legal assistance without delay.

He was speaking on a seminar on “Legal Aid for Mentally Depressed” organised by DSLA to mark the World Mental Health Day at New Judicial Complex here today. He said that the District Legal Services Authority, which was providing free legal service to a large number of categories of needy people, was also providing free legal service to depressed people in the courts.

He said that during current year, the DLSA had provided free legal services to 250 litigants belonging to different categories. A district level panel of 15 reputed lawyers have been set up in Ludhiana by the DLSA and the litigants belonging to the various categories including SC, ST, bonded labour, women, children, mentally and physically challenged, industrial workers, and arrested persons or any person whose annual income is less than Rs 30,000 were free to avail legal service.

Dr Sudha Vasudev, a Psychiatrist and member of the DLSA elaborating reasons of mental stress, said that a large number of people get stressed due to financial and social reasons. She said that a person facing mental stress should be dealt with utmost care and sympathy to avoid further stress and in legal matters he should be given free legal aid without any delay.

Mr Kuldip Sood, a lawyer said that in 1948 the UNO had set up World Mental Care Federation to draw up ways to prevent the increasing cases of mental stress and now the Federation was active in 112 countries of the world including India.

He said that only a good mental health of the citizens could ensure establishment of healthy and harmonious society. He stressed upon the need to ensure better health education to the children from the primary level so that a spirit of confidence could be inculcated among them to meet adverse situations.

Among others who were present included Mr D.R. Arora, Mr Inderjit Kaushik, Mr B.S. Sodhi, Mr J.S. Bhatia, Mr Sunil Kumar (all Additional District and Sessions Judges), Mr Sangeet Paul Singh, Mr Jaspal Verma, Ms Manjinder Kaur (Judicial Magistrates) and Mr G.C. Garg, Civil Judge, Senior Division and Secretary, DLSA, Ms Papu Avinash Singh, and Ms Rubi Fernandes (both Social Workers and members of the DLSA). 

Rs 550 cr to improve health services in Punjab
Our Correspondent

Machhiwara, October 10
To improve health services in rural areas of Punjab, Rs 550 crore project named ‘Reproductive and Child Health Care Project’ is being given a final touch by the central government. After the recommendation of this project, the Punjab Health Systems Corporation which came into existence with the permission of the World Bank would be able to provide better health services in the rural dispensaries and sub-centres.

These views were expressed by Mr D.S. Guru, secretary, Health and Family Welfare Punjab at a press conference here today. Mr Guru came here to inaugurate the fourth round of Pulse-Polio campaign in the Primary Health Unit Machhiwara. He was accompanied by civil surgeon Ludhiana Dr S N Tiwari.

Giving details of Pulse Polio campaign Mr Guru told that the campaign had been launched in 1988 after detecting 28000 polio cases in India. He further told that it was a matter of pride that at present the number of polio cases had come down to 62 last year. It gives me immense pleasure to tell that there is not even a single polio are from Punjab, Mr Guru informed that 36.50 lakh children in Punjab were being administered two extra polio drops under intensive pulse polio immunisation campaign by 16000 teams today. Apart from valuable contributions of social workers, 70000 volunteers including employees of health department, anganwari workers and teachers are striving hard to make the campaign a great success. To eradicate polio teams will visit from door to door on October 11 and October 12 for administering polio drops to the remaining children, Mr Guru said.

Speaking on ‘Revised National TB Control Programme’, Mr Guru told that nine districts out of 17 in Punjab had already been covered and the remaining eight districts would be made aware of the programme soon. TB patients are being given free medicine under the programme and 7000 TB patients are under treatment which are taking benefit of the programme in Ludhiana district alone.

When asked about the paralysis of health services due to shortage of medical and para-medical persons in Punjab, Mr Guru said that recommendation report regarding fulfilling the vacant posts had been sent to the Chief Secretary Punjab and the appointments are expected to be made till the end of the year.

On being questioned regarding the success of the Health Corporation, Dr Guru told that parchi fees (OPD slip fee) had increased from 40 lakh to 13 crores and people were being provided better health services with latest methods. Mr Guru informed that with the formation of corporation bed occupancy rate had reached 70-75% at the district level whereas the same had touched the figure of 60-65% at the sub division level. Before it, the bed occupancy rate was almost negligible, Mr Guru quoted.

Mr Anil Sood, President, Nagar Council Machhiwara, expressed concern at the deployment of only 2 doctors in 117 villages and PHU Machhiwara of this block. Mr Guru directed the civil surgeon Ludhiana to send the more doctors.

Mr Guru also assured of providing an ambulance to handle the mishaps which may take place after the completion of the Machhiwara-Rahon Bridge.

The other dignitaries who were present on the occasion include Dr V K Goyal, Immunisation Officer Punjab; Dr Harvinder Singh, SMO Machhiwara, Dr Sanjay Kapoor, Mr Anil Sood, president Nagar Council Machhiwara, Mr Satwinder Mohan Singh a former President, Lions Club Machhiwara, general secretary Lions Club, Narinder Paul Jit Singh, prominent social workers Arun Luthra, Dr Parveen Goel and Sanjeev Mohindru. About 13000 children were administered polio drops at 85 booths in Machhiwara Block alone.

Health camp organised
Our Correspondent

Doraha, October 10
Fortis Hospital, Mohali today organised a free health check up camp at Dashmesh Charitable Hospital and dispensary at Doraha. A total of 400 patients suffering from different ailments, registered themselves in the camp for free check-up , out of which 200 had been examined till the filing of the report.

During the camp, people from all across the areas gathered and availed free health check up which included free cardiac consultation on the spot-free-tests like ECG, ECHO and Blood testing doctors, nurses and dieticians present at the camp interacted with the people on various aspects of healthy heart dietary care and integrated approach towards body and mind.

Mr Ashish Bhatia, Director of the hospital, said “We wish to see every citizen, child and woman of the nation healthy.”

The turnover at this camp indicated the need to fill the health gap which prevails in our society due to lack of financial resources, lack of advanced medical facilities, increasing burden of diseases and expensive health care procedures, people who are suffering for want of treatment and medicine.

Mr Inderjit Singh Kala, President, Dashmesh Charitable Hospital, thanked the team of doctors and experts.

Students of Government Model School swimming champions
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 10
The students of the Government Model Senior Secondary School, Cemetery Road, Civil Lines here have brought laurels to the city in the district as well as state level tournaments, held recently.

According to Ms Maninder Kaur Sandhu, Principal of the Government Model Senior Secondary School, during the district tournaments, players of this school won four gold and five silver medals in the swimming competition, besides in judo, Ranjit Singh and Prince Sidhu in karate, Mudra Prakash in table tennis and Jaswinder Singh Bhatti in badminton finished runners-up.

Ms Maninder Kaur said that Harpreet Singh and Gagandeep Singh who represented the district in the state level cricket and football championships respectively, came out with success and clinched a silver medal each. In archery (boys and girls u-19 years), school students won top honours while in the girls u-17, secured the second position. The participants from this school won as 10 medals in the archery discipline. The school team finished runner-up in the lawn tennis tournament.

Ms Sandhu congratulated the students, Mr Dapinder Singh, DPI and Ms Charan Kaur, sports incharge of the school on this performance.

MC XI record victory
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, October 10
MC XI recorded convincing 51-run win over Amit Club in the ongoing cricket tournament being held at the Satish Chander Dhawan Government College for Boys ground here today.

Batting first, MC XI scored 177 runs for the loss of 9 wickets in the allotted 30 overs. Main architects of their innings were skipper Sunil Sharma (30), Salil Kaushal (42) and Sudhir (35). For Amit Club, Munish and Vikas captured three and two wickets respectively.

In reply, Amit Club were all out for 126 runs in the 24th over. Amit and Munish contributed 39 and 36 runs respectively while Salil Kaushal and Pappu Thaman of MC XI grabbed three wickets each for 31 and 27 runs respectively. Vikas Pathania chipped in with two for 31.