It’s chaos at GMCH drug store
Payal Pruthi
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14
Jostling crowd, cacophony of sounds, harried patients and attendants and a long wait. For a month now this has been the scene at the Global Medical Centre at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32. After Kumar Medical Store was sealed last month, Global Medical Store is the only one selling medicines at the hospital.

But for those in the queue for buying medicines the experience is nothing less than an ordeal. While many of them say that they have to wait for more than an hour to purchase them, there are those whose money has been pick-pocketed amidst the crowd. Many of them say that minor fights have also occurred as everyone wants to be first in the line.

For Lakhwinder Singh from Ropar, buying medicines from the store was like a nightmare. After waiting for half-an-hour when he finally got to purchase the medicines, the salesperson at the counter lost his prescription among the others. After heated exchange of words Lakhwinder finally got back the prescription but lost his money.

Others like Rajni, too, narrated her experience. “At 10 in the morning one does not even find a breathing space in front of the store and even salespersons shout at us and often give wrong medicines which have to be exchanged later,” said Rajni.

At the counter, the salespersons can be seen shouting out the names of the patients and often asking the security men to help. Although banners have been put up telling the patients about the separate counters for emergency and surgery patients and the OPD patients, but this has not improved the situation.

Shop owner Kamlesh, however, said that because of so much of commotion and common din, often the people do not get to hear their names and end up taking the wrong medicines.

He added that barring one or two medicines, all others are available in the market but still patients buy them from us. According to him, the medical superintendent has also appointed two guards to organise the crowd.

When questioned, Dr HM Swami, Director, Principal, GMCH, said that he was aware of the situation and very soon a new shop will be opened as the hospital has already invited tenders for the same.

Diabetes on rise among school kids
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14
With 13 per cent people in Chandigarh suffering from diabetes, the city doctors on the occasion of World Diabetes Day, today advised the residents to adopt a healthy lifestyle to combat the disease. Talking about the growing number of diabetics in the city, Dr A Bhansali, HOD, Department of Endocrinology, said 250 new patients with diabetes came to PGI every year and the number of children suffering from diabetes was also increasing.

Dr Bhansali said that sedentary lifestyle was one of the major reasons for the rise in diabetes. According to a survey carried out among 1000 schoolchildren in Chandigarh, 10 per cent kids had symptoms of diabetes. Obesity among kids was also leading to diabetes, said Dr Bhansali.

He advised that an individual must exercise regularly and adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Besides this the diabetes should stop the use of medicines only on the advice of the doctor although he may continue with yoga or any other exercise programme. 

Sleep apnea disorder discussed
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14
If you are suffering from severe, snoring, extensive daytime sleepiness, changes in personality and morning headaches, there is a fair chance that you may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A common but under-diagnosed disorder, it could be fatal. Deliberating on the disorder and its cure at the concluding day of an orthodontic congress here yesterday, Dr A. Utreja from the PGI said the disorder occurred due to complete or partial obstruction of the upper air way.

The disorder is seen in 2 per cent of women and 4 per cent of men.

He said if the condition was mild, it could be treated by behaviour and life style modification. Surgical procedures like reducing the bulk of the tongue, palatal and upper and lower jaw advancement could also be considered.

Lt Col B. Jayan of the military Hospital, New Delhi, discussed the use of oral appliances in the OSA.

Blood donation camp held
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14
A blood donation camp was organised on Sunday by Kerala Sastra Kala Manch at Sood Bhawan, Sector 44.Fifty-five units of blood were collected at the camp which was organised by the Department of Immuno Heamotology and Blood Transfusion, GMCH, Sector 32. 

SPORTS

PU Panel meets over vacant post of Sports Director
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14
A selection committee meeting was held today at the Vice-Chancellor’s office in connection with the post of Director, Sports, which has been lying vacant. Interestingly, only two candidates appeared for the interview. Those interviewed were Dr Sominder Prakash Sharma and Dr Baljit Singh, who are not from the university.

The post of Director, Sports, has been lying vacant since Dr Ajmer Singh retired a few years ago. The additional charge was given to many others. Currently, the DUI had been given the additional charge while Prof D.S. Toor assisted him. The post had been advertised five times before. Last time, however, no candidates were found suitably well qualified and the post had to be thus re-advertised.

Interviews were also held for Deputy Director and Assistant Director, Sports. While 12 candidates appeared for interview for the former, four appeared for the latter.

DAV-8 boys wham PGI Club
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 14
The Chandigarh Table Tennis Club won the junior girls team championship defeating DAV Public School, Sector 8, by 3-1 on the second day of the Chandigarh State Table Tennis Championship at the Table Tennis Hall, Sector 23, here today.

In the junior boys event, DAV Public School, Sector 8, beat PGI Club by 3-2 to clinch the team event title.

The results are as follows: Sub junior boys team championship: finals - DAV Public-8 Academy b Coaching Centre-23 by 3-1 (Dev Saini b Rachit Kakkar 11-9, 11-9, 11-9, Chetan Singla lost to Puneet Kumar 11-8, 7-11, 11-13, Mayank Kapoor b Chetan Kumar 11-8, 11-9, 8-11, 12-10, Dev Saini b Puneet Kumar 7-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-6).

Sub junior girls team championship: finals — Coaching Centre-23 b DAV Public-8 by 3-1 (Meghna Kakaria b Garima Goyal 11-5, 6-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, Sadhika Kaushal lost to Barbie Nagpal 7-11, 11-6. 6-11, 12-14, Kalyani b Naina Suri 11-6, 11-9, 5-11, 11-6, Sadhika Kaushal b Garima Goyal 11-8, 11-8, 11-4).

Boys team championship: final — DAV Public-8 Academy b PGI Club by 3-2 ( Rajan Mahindra b Puneet Kumar 7-11, 10-12, 11-6, 11-3, 11-2, Dev Saini b Puneet Kumar 14-12, 11-4, 7-11, 11-4, Rajan Mahindra lost to Raghav Sharma 15-17, 7-11, 11-8, 11-6, 7-11, Himanshu lost to Abhiroop 8-11, 6-11, 7-11, Dev Saini b Raghav Sharma 11-9, 11-7, 12-10).

Girls team championship: final — Chandigarh Table Tennis Club b DAV Public-8 Academy by 3-1 (Barbie Nagpal b Vibhuti 11-9, 11-8, 8-11, 11-8, Nadia Saini b Garima Goyal (13-11, 6-11, 11-8, 11-6, Sunanda Mahindra lost to Naina Suri 11-4, 4-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-13, Nadia Saini b Naina Suri 11-5, 11-2, 11-8). 

City body builders win medals
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, November 14
The local body builders cornered glory in the Junior and Senior North India Body Building Championship which concluded last evening at Amritsar. Junior ‘Mr North India’: below 55 kg-Mushtaq-silver medal; below 60 kg-Ajay Kumar-silver medal; below 75 kg-Raj Kumar-silver medal.

Senior ‘Mr North India’: below 75 kg:Illyas-bronze mdal.

According to Mr Sunil Walia, president of the Chandigarh Amateur Body Building Association, Punjab state won the overall championship in both senior and junior section.

DAV Surajpur win gold in table soccer
Our Sports Reporter

Chandigarh, November 14
The Mahatma Hansraj Table Soccer Gold Cup-2005 concluded last evening at the DAV School, Surajpur. The two day tournament saw more than 400 youngsters from different schools of the region participate in the meet. The host school won overall position. Ms Kavita Marriya, wife of Mr Subhash Marriya, manager of the school, was the chief guest.

The winners: gold medalists-Mayur, Sakshi, Sukhpreet, Sarina, Parichay, Subish, Sarthak, Manish, Shivangi, Shagun, Jasmeet, Pulkit, Pankaj, Bhavuk, Sushant, Ayush, Varun, Saurabh, Sajal, Om, Harpreet, Deeksha, Navjot and Pradeep.