The Tribune, Chandigarh, India - Chandigarh Stories

HEALTH

Pending surgeries leave docs sweating
Geetanjali Gayatri
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4
A backlog of 2,500 odd surgeries to clear; extended working hours for resident doctors to make up for the 16-day strike period; and anxious patients waiting and wanting to be accommodated first in the revised list of elective surgeries — it is a cruel June for everybody from patients to doctors at PGI and there seems no reprieve. Not for the time being at least.

With nearly 250 major and minor surgeries performed everyday at the hospital, there is now the load of additional surgeries to cater to. Then, there is the pressure of extended work hours to tackle with operation theatres (OTs) running overtime from 8 am to 8 pm to make up for the time lost during the strike.

Over 75 major surgeries are being performed under the revised timings daily. With rescheduling of surgeries in progress and operations already in full swing, doctors maintain that it won’t take long to clear the surgeries that have piled up during the last fortnight.

“Our doctors are working overtime to accommodate as many surgeries as possible in a day. We are hopeful of clearing the backlog soon since summer months are a lean period for surgeries. Patients, too, prefer better months for operations unless there is an emergency,” a senior faculty member says.

Also during the strike period emergency surgeries were being carried out without delay and 10 to 30 surgeries were usually performed on any given day.

Resident doctors, junior and senior, too are back to the grind mill, working under taxing time schedules, pushing their limits of endurance in an effort to ease inconvenience to patients. “Though half the faculty is on leave, the other half is always on call. We are trying our best to do what we possibly can. Some operation theatres are under repair which further limits the adjustments we can make in accommodating surgeries. So, despite the increase in timings, the number of surgeries being performed is only actually up by a small number. The good news is that the strike happened at a time when patients are not too keen on operation dates unless it is really urgent,” a senior resident quips.

So, it’s a waiting game all over again for patients whose surgeries had been postponed till new dates arrive.

Doctors take out procession
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4
Over 150 doctors of PGI and GMCH 32 took out a procession against the proposed reservation by the UPA Government in central institutes here today. The doctors started the procession from the PGI and passed through Students Centre and university market before exiting from gate No. 2. After that they walked to the PGI on the dividing road between the university and Sector 15 to end the procession.

Talking to The Tribune, Junior Resident Dr Anup Kumar Singh of GMCH 32 said: “With such processions, we try to tell the government that our strike has ended but not the movement. If any decision comes against our memorandum, which we have submitted to the government, we will start the strike again. And this time we will rope in the non-medicos also in the agitation”.

He also said that two city representatives from PGI and GMCH 32 would attend the meeting of representatives of medicos and non-medicos to be held at Bangalore on June 16.

Blood donation camp
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4
The Thalassaemic Children Welfare Association (TCWA), Chandigarh, organised the 88th blood donation camp which is 3rd in the series of six blood donation camps, at PGI, here today. The camp was inaugurated by Dr M.S. Anand, Head of Blood Bank, Sector 16 hospital, Chandigarh.

As many as 268 donors donated blood at the camp which was conducted by a team of doctors and technicians headed by Dr Neelam Marwaha, Head, Department of Blood Transfusion and also a member of the Medical Advisory Board of the association. The next camp will be held on June17 at Lecture Theatre-1, PGI.

SPORTS

Chandigarh, Patiala sail into semis
Tribune News Service

Mohali, June 4
Chandigarh and Patiala sailed into the final of under 19 cricket tournament for Dhruv Pandove Trophy after beating their rivals at DAV SS School and PCA Stadium, respectively today.

Patiala got the better of Mohali by 30 runs whereas Chandigarh inflicted defeat on Jalandhar on the basis of first innings’ lead.

Starting their second innings from their overnight score of 65 for 5, the Chandigarh team piled up 217. Gurkirat was the most successful batsman with his fine knock of 89 runs followed by Simrat Bawa, who scored unbeaten 25 runs. Varun claimed six wickets for 81 runs.

In reply, Jalandhar were 100 for five at close on the final day. Chandigarh won on the basis of first innings lead.

In the other semifinal, resuming at 25 for 2 in 9 overs, Mohali were bundled out for a paltry 89 runs. Patiala’s Navdeep proved to be the main wrecker as he snared six batsmen for 35 runs. Only Kunal made 27 runs.

Earlier, Patiala made 182 runs in their second innings to set an easy target of 119 runs to win as they conceded a lead of 63 runs in the first innings.

Brief score: Chandigarh (1st Innings): 282 all out in 95 overs.

Jalandhar (1st Innings): 223 all out in 84 overs.

Chandigarh (2nd Innings): 217 all out (Gurkirat 89, Simrat Bawa 25 n o, Gaurav 16, Kanwar 19, Vikram 2 for 36, Varun 6 for 81).

Jalandhar (2nd Innings ): 100 for 5 at the end of last day’s play (Ishan Dogra 37, Vikramjeet 19, Taruwar Kohli 21, Naresh 2 for 42, Japneet 3 for 39).

Patiala (1st Innings): 95 all out in 48.1 overs.

Mohali (1st Innings): 158 all out in 65.1 overs.

Patiala (2nd Innings): 182 all out in 59.2 overs (Perry Goel 83, Gajinder 33, Navneet 4 for 42, Harmeet 2 for 32, Sukhbir 2 for 38, Jaskaran 2 for 44).

Mohali (2nd Innings): 89 all out in 38 overs (Kunal Rajdhan 27, Gurkirat Singh 12, Navdeep 6 for 35, Amitoj 2 for 3, Rajwinder 2 for 18).

CM congratulates Manavjit
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4
The Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, has congratulated Manavjit Sandhu for winning the bronze in the 2006 Commonwealth Games held at Melbourne and has also extended all help to him after he qualified for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

“I was honoured when Punjab Chief Minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, rang me up to congratulate me and told me that Punjab had high hopes from me in the forthcoming Beijing Olympics. The CM also assured me that the Punjab Government would sponsor shooting equipment worth Rs 5 lakh for the Games.”

Chief Parliamentary Secretary, Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi, today felicitated Manavjit Sandhu for his achievements in shooting here today. While congratulating Manavjit, Mr Sodhi said, “ I am looking forward to the day when Manavjit would bring gold and put the state’s name on the international map in shooting”.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Sodhi said the state government would also honour sportspersons of Punjab who had bagged gold, silver or bronze medals at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games or World Championships with Rs 7 lakh, Rs 5 lakh and Rs 3 lakh amounts respectively. Mr Sodhi added that sportspersons winning gold at the Beijing Olympics would get Rs 1 crore as award money followed by Rs 50 lakh for a silver medallist and Rs 25 lakh for a bronze medallist.

The trap shooter, Manavjit Sandhu, is focussing on two major tournaments, the World Cup Shot Gun at Lonato, Italy, from September 2 and World Shot Gun Meet at Nicosia, Cyprus, from September 10. He is leaving for Italy and will remain there till August 15 for training under the renowned clay pigeon coach Marcello Dradi of Italy.

Shubham registers third win in tennis

Chandigarh, June 4
Continuing his winning spree, Shubham Vig registered his third successive victory beating Sahil Singh Nunwal 6-0 in the Under-12 category round-robin league of the Lake Club Tennis Competitions at the Lake Club courts here today.

The other results are as follow: Under - 12: Vittal Bhardwaj b Sahil Singh Nunwal 7-6 (2); Arman Singh Nunwal b Lovedeep Singh 6-2; Shubham Vig b Sahil Singh Nunwal 6-0; Dhaval Kapil b Vittal Bhardwaj 6-1; Sahil Singh Nunwal b Lovedeep Singh 6-1; Vittal Bhardwaj b Lovedeep Singh 6-1; Srijan Uppal b Harmeet Singh 6-2; Srijan Uppal b Vittal Bhardwaj 6-3.

Under - 14: Rehatbir Singh Mann b Sehaj Singh Aulakh 6-2; Rehatbir Singh Mann b Nishant Kapoor 6-1; Sehaj Singh Aulakh b Rajat Singh Guran 6-3; Nishant Kapoor b Sehaj Singh Aulakh 6-2; Nikhil Bansal b Sehaj Singh Aulakh 6-2; Nikhil Bansal b Nishant Kapoor 6-4; Rajat Singh Guran b Manjinder Singh 6-3; Rajat Singh Guran b Devanjot Singh Sra 6-3.

Under - 18: Sanjay Yadav b Dhruv Kapil 6-3; Raja Insanbir Singh b Dhruv Kapil 6-2. TNS

Eves u-17 football meet next month
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4
As many as 28 teams are expected to take part in the National Girls (under-17) Football Championship which has been allotted to the Chandigarh Football Association by the All India Football Federation.

Stating this here today, the CFA president, Principal Ravinder Talwar, told newspersons that the nationals would be conducted from July 10 to 27 and venues would be decided soon. The matches are likely to be played at the Punjab Engineering College and the Panjab University campus.

Addressing mediapersons after the annual general body meeting held at DAV SS School in Sector 8 here today, Mr Talwar said that the house appreciated the AIFF move and approved the conduct of the national championship.

The house also passed the annual accounts of the association for 2005-6. In his annual report CFA secretary Rakesh Bakshi informed the members that state competitions in all age groups were smoothly conducted and the Chandigarh teams had participated in all national championships.

Besides finalising its calendar for 2006-07, the CFA has also decided to start tournament for the villages in Chandigarh. The league for under-10, under-12 and under-14 boys would be organised soon.

The following is the calendar for 2006-07:

The Chandigarh State Girls (under-16) Championship for Shivalik Trophy in August. The Chandigarh State Boys (under-16) Championship in August.

The Chandigarh Girls and Boys (under-19) Football Championships will be sponsored by St Stephen’s School in August-September.

The senior men football championship will be conducted in July-August and the senior women’s championship will be organised in October.

Vivek academy lift cricket trophy
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 4
Vivek High Asian Cricket Academy XI beat Rohtak Road Gymkhana, Delhi, By 32 runs to lift the 1st B.N Sharma & B.M.Sharma Memorial Cup-2006, at Vivek High School, Sector 38, Chandigarh.

The tournament was organised by Chandigarh Blues affiliated to the Chandigarh Cricket Association.

Brief scores

Vivek Academy XI : 221 for 5 in 40 overs (Lovish 96, Ankit Kaushal 47, Mohit 3 for 39).

Rohtak Gymkhana: 189 all out in 40 overs (Mohit 35, Tarang 29, Avinash 32, Akhil Goyal 3 for 45, Anshul 2 for 51).