Mohali, July 20
The prevalence of leprosy has dropped from 57 per 10,000 population in 1983 to 1.34 per 10,000 population in March 2005 in the region.

This was stated by Mr T.R. Sarangal, Managing Director, Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC), during the inauguration of a three-day management training programme on leprosy for chief medical and health officers at the State Institute of Health and Family Welfare here today.

Civil surgeons and chief medical officers working in Punjab, Haryana, Uttaranchal and the UT, Chandigarh are participating in this training programme organised by the Government of India and the World Health Organisation through the National Institute of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi.

Mr Sarangal said leprosy could be eradicated from the region by successfully implementing the National Leprosy Eradication Programme (NLEP).

Addressing the participants, Dr R.S. Saggu, Director, PHSC, exhorted them to take effective measures like early detection of cases, prompt treatment, and full course of treatment of patients along with proper follow-up procedures. He stressed the need for implementing “multi-drug therapy” to eliminate the disease.

Dr P.C. Singla, Principal, State Institute of Health and Family Welfare, assured the visiting faculty of all possible support. The faculty members included Dr Gian Singh, Dr U. Datta and Dr Anish Bandhopadhyaya apart from Dr Anil Joshi, State Leprosy Officer, Punjab, Dr S.L. Mahajan and Dr Behl.

Dr Gian Singh told the participants about the objectives of the programme, including analysis of leprosy situation and trends, along with various factors influencing leprosy elimination in the district. The participants were also provided training regarding suitable remedial measures at different levels in the districts, use of indicators for monitoring and supervision of the NLEP in the district. 

Chandigarh, July 20
For the 99-year-old Dhyan Kaur of Chandigarh, recovery from a severely injured and distorted hip joint could not have been possible without the magic wand of Dr O.N. Nagi, Head of Orthopedics Department at the PGI.

For 15 years, the medical expert has been leading from the front in the field of “minimally invasive surgery” which ensures complete mobility and recovery to those suffering from severe hip and knee injuries. The very fact that Dr Nagi conducts 9 to 12 such operations every week and has 20 operation bookings for every month proves how successfully he is treating hopeless cases of knee and hip injury. And the best part of his technique is that it caters equally well to the aged.

Today again, the surgeon repeated history by successfully operating on actor Jaspal Bhatti’s grandmother, Dhyan Kaur, as also octogenarians Kanwar Mohinder Singh and Dr Ishar Singh Ahuwalia who came complaining of severe pain and trauma.

Using his tested bipolar hip replacement technique, Dr Nagi treated the patients in a day, allowing them mobility. The worst among the three cases was that of Kanwar Iqbal Singh who was two and a half inches short of his normal height when he came. A parachuter, he had a terrible accident which reduced him to a mere vegetable until Dr Nagi used the hip replacement technique to restore the length of his knee.

Dispelling myths which the elderly attach to such surgeries, Dr Nagi said, “It is often wrongly estimated that such surgeries cause problems among the aged. In fact the consequences of not having the surgery are far more traumatic than having one. Any trauma in old age, even a minor fall can cause fractures owing to osteoporosis. These fractures need to be mended with care and surgery is the only alternative. We have designed such interventions as cause minimum stress to patients. Also this technique of surgery reduces the chances of morbidity among the aged.”

The best part of the bipolar hip replacement technique, developed and mastered at the PGI, is that it takes lesser time than traditional techniques and it empowers the patients better.

Said Dr Nagi, “There is still lack of awareness with regard to hip replacements. I just want to convey to the suffering patients that age is no bar when it comes to such surgeries. We have been operating patients over 90 years of age for some years now.

If you look at our “referred patient pattern” you will see they come from all ages and all trauma backgrounds.”

Significant to note is the fact that Dr Nagi has no bookings available for the next three years. “But we give priority to emergencies,” he says.

Chandigarh, July 20
The Sports Complex, Sector 42, is all set to welcome 26 probables and officials of the Indian senior hockey team. The players accompanied by four officials will attend a 20-day coaching camp prior to the team’s participation in the Mini World Cup Hockey Meet to be held in Amsteelven (The Netherlands) from August 14.

Meanwhile, all arrangements have been completed for the board and lodging of the players and officials. The camp is scheduled to commence from tomorrow.

The sports hostel, Sector 42, is being spruced up to accommodate the players in eight VIP rooms, along with three dormitories that would be provided to the players by the Sports Department of the Chandigarh Administration.

Officials and senior players like skipper Dilip Tirkey, Devesh Chauhan, Bharat Chetri, Kanwalpreet Singh, Bimal Lakra, Arjun Halappa, Gagan Ajit Singh, Deepak Thakur and Prabhjot Singh would stay in VIP rooms whereas rest of the players would be adjusted in the dormitories. The special diet would be provided to players by the Sports Authority of India.

“The department has also engaged Dr Gurjeevan Singh, an orthopaedic surgeon at the General Hospital, Sector 16, and for medic, the services of dispensary of Sector 42 would be taken,” stated Dr J.P.S. Sidhu, Joint Director (Sports), Chandigarh. Dr Sidhu said there would be two sessions, one in the morning at 6.30 am while the evening session would start at 4.30 pm.

The final team for the Mini World Cup would be selected after the camp. Fifteen players belong to this region.

Meanwhile, only three local players, who are among the probables, Inderjit Chadha, Jaswinder Singh, and Gurtejpreet Singh reported at the venue.

The probables are : Dilip Tirkey (skipper), Devesh Chauhan, Maninder Singh, Kanwalpreet Singh, Bharat Chetri, Ignace Tirkey, Harpal Singh, Muthuselvan, Viren Rasquinha, Prabhdeep Singh, Bimal Lakra, Jaswinder Singh, Davinder Pal Singh, Arjun Halappa, Didar Singh, Deepak Thakur, Gagan Ajit Singh, Girish Pimpale, Prabhjot Singh, Ravipal Singh, Inderjit Singh, Rajpal Singh, Davinder Singh, Navpreet Singh, Gurtejpreet Singh and Raghunath. Officials: Rajinder Singh (Junior), Narinder Pal Singh, Goalkeeper coach-Romeo James, Sampath Kumar (Physical Trainer)

Panchkula, July 20
The city, which has the distinction of producing the maximum number of national and international skaters, has motivated a number of young roller skaters.

Young roller skaters above six years of age are given training for more than three hours at the skating rink of Blue Bird School, Sector 16, here.

Nourin Midha, Shubham Narang and Rohit Bajaj are the promising skaters, who have already performed well at the state and national level.

Mr A.D. Sharma, skating coach of the Haryana Sports Department, said the skating rink, which was set up at the initiative of Principal of the school R.

Bhatnagar, has produced international skaters like Chandita Kamboj among girls and Sahil Khattar.

Chandita had been the captain of the Indian roller hockey team in the 2003 Asian Roller Skating meet.

Sahil represented India in the just concluded Asian Skating meet held at Korea, Mr Sharma said.

He said the rink conformed to international specifications and was one of the best skating rinks of Haryana. The sport was picking up fast not only in Haryana but in other parts of the North India.

Earlier schools and colleges would never give weightage to roller skating, but now things were changing, he said, adding that many talented skaters of Panchkula, who had shown remarkable performance, were even honoured by the state government from time to time.

The skaters are now aiming for the coming Senior National Skating to be held in Chandigarh in December.