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Olympian Pargat Singh, Director Sports, Punjab, outlines the department’s plans for better healthcare to youngsters Growing incidence of injuries on playfields is a major area of concern for us. The country in general and Punjab in particular have lost the services of a number of outstanding sportsmen and women because of crippling injuries incurred either during training or even during competitions. It is unfortunate that we lost young Balwinder Singh in July this year and Deep Dogra a couple of years ago. Both were budding, talented sportsmen. Though not much attention was paid to sports medicine and provision of basic first-aid facilities at playfields in the past, we have taken a number of steps to ensure the health of our players. For example, we are going in for group insurance of all boys and girls who are training at our academies or coaching centres throughout the state. We are negotiating with various insurance companies for a comprehensive group general health insurance of our athletes. The state will pay the premium and subsequent instalments. Each athlete would be ensured for a minimum of Rs 1 lakh each. We also intend to set up Sports Medicine Boards at each district headquarters comprising a neurologist, orthopaedic surgeon, and physiotherapist. In case of an emergency, any of our trainees shall be attended to by members of the District Sports Medicine Board on priority. The Sports Department is
also getting in touch with the Health Department so that doctors are
available on call in case of an emergency on a playfield. At each of
our coaching centres, academies and wings, the telephone numbers of
doctors, physiotherapists and rehabilitation medicine specialists
would be displayed so that trainers, coaches, players or their parents
can contact them for immediate medical attention in case of any
contingency. We are writing to the Punjab Olympic Association and
other state sports associations to ensure that whenever they organise
a championship or competition, they must ensure that a team of doctors
or first-aid experts is available on the playfield or at the venue of
competition. Besides, provision of an ambulance at the venue of
competitions is also being stressed on new set of guidelines which are
being circulated to organisers of all tournaments in the state. The
Department will make an effort to get doctors with the knowledge of
sports and sports injuries associated with its coaching schemes so
that their expert advice is available to the trainees and trainers at
all times.
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