Ludhiana, October 18
It is official now! Negating its own earlier assertions of the situation being under control and there being no need to get panicky over the severe attack of dengue, the Health Department today officially admitted that the number of dengue cases admitted to local hospitals had crossed 500 (513 to be precise) till today.

The Civil Surgeon, Dr Yash Pal Singla, today said in an official press note that 47 fresh dengue cases had been reported at different local hospitals during the past 24 hours and the total number of dengue-afflicted patients from September onwards had reached 513. As many as 83 patients were still hospitalised.

Christian Medical College and Hospital had received 16 new dengue patients till this afternoon, Bhagwan Ram Charitable Hospital 11, Dayanand Medical College and Hospital nine, SPS Apollo Hospitals six, Mohan Dai Oswal Cancer Hospital three and the ESI Hospital two.

There is widespread resentment among the city population over the “lack of preventive measures” against the mosquito-borne epidemic. Residents feel fumigation and other steps to check breeding of mosquitoes remain erratic.

They have been pleading for comprehensive fogging and clearance of water accumulated in roadside pits and other places, but to no avail. In some parts of the city, even councillors were reported to have expressed their helplessness in getting their respective areas fumigated. 

—Rubbing alcohol on the mosquito bite will take the itch away. Re-apply as needed.

—Dob the bite with vinegar within 5 minutes, and you will get immediate relief.

—Applying lemon juice to mosquito bites will make them itchier for a few minutes, but then the itchiness will disappear completely.

—If nothing else is available, try something cold to place on the bite. Fresh mud will also do.

—Rub a dab of mint toothpaste on the mosquito bite and the itching will disappear.

—Mix meat tenderiser with water to make a paste and put it on any mosquito bite that has swelled. It stops the itching and takes the swelling down.

—Apply lavender and tea-tree oils directly on the bite. These oils will decrease most of the swelling and a little bit of the itchiness.

—Wear light clothing because dark clothing attracts more mosquitoes.

—Telling kids not to scratch is usually a waste of breath. Tell them to slap the bite. It changes the sensation of the itch to the sting of the slap and makes it less tempting to scratch.

—A paste of baking soda works well on the bite.

—Deodrant too works. Get any kind of deodrant and rub it on the bite. It will help in stopping the itch and swelling.

—Take a hot shower or put hot water on the affected part of the body. It gives great relief.

—Make an x with your fingernail on the centre of the mosquito bite to stop the itching.

—Wet a bar of soap. Rub it on to the bite until it turns into a white paste. Let it dry. Do not scratch it for a few minutes and the itching will go away.

—Apply neem oil on the bite. It will decrease most of the swelling and reduce a little bit of the itchiness.

— Dr Anil Dheer

Ludhiana, October 18
Pakistan will send a 10-member contingent for the IX All-India Transplant Games and SAARC Transplant Olympics, scheduled for October 27 and 28 at Guru Nanak Stadium here.

The contingent comprises five transplant recipients, one coach and four transplant experts.

Dr B.S. Aulakh, Professor and Head of Urology at Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, who is also the chief coordinator of the events, said here today that the Pakistani contingent was being sent by a pioneer institution of that country, the Sindh Institute of Urology and Transplant (SIUT), Karachi.

Dr Aulakh said it was a leading institute of Pakistan and had achieved excellent results in urology, nephrology and transplant. It relied upon private donations for its funding and all patients received treatment through state-of-the-art equipment free of cost.

The presence of these Pakistani nationals would not only motivate the Indian public for the noble cause of organ donation but would also go a long way in creating the harmony between the two countries.

Dr D.S. Sandhu and Dr Virendar Pal Singh, both coorganisers of the transplant games, said excellent arrangements had been made for the participants from within the country and overseas, and they would be accorded a warm welcome.

More participants from other SAARC countries were expected to register themselves for the Transplant Olympics soon.

“The main objective of the games is to increase public awareness on organ donation, demonstrate the success of transplants and to inculcate a sense of self-confidence among the donors and recipients of organs through display of level of fitness in the transplant athletic events.”

According to Dr Sandhu and Dr Virendar Pal, the Transplant Olympics were expected to become a platform to spread the noble message of organ donation.

The concept of transplant games was not very old in India, but those had become a regular feature in some of the developed nations for the past many years.

In India, the transplant games were first held in New Delhi in 1996. Since then, the games were being held after every two years. The last All-India Transplant Games were held in Chennai in 2004 and those had coincided with the first SAARC Transplant Olympics.

“We hope that the games will serve a dual purpose — these will help the transplant recipients and donors to re-enforce their confidence and spread the message of organ donation far and wide”, they added. 

Ludhiana, October 18
The following are the results of the day one of the XV Ludhiana Sahodaya Schools Complex Badminton and Lawn Tennis Tournament which kicked off at BCM Arya Model Senior Secondary School, Sashtri Nagar, here today.

Badminton (girls u-19) first round: GPS, Mandi Gobindgarh b BCM School, Ludhiana, 2-0; Satluj Public School, Ludhiana, b GMT School, Ludhiana, 2-0; (boys): Green Land Model School, Ludhiana, b GPS, Mandi Gobindgarh, 2-0; BCM School, Ludhiana, b CFC School, Ludhiana, 2-0; and Sarkumal School, 
Khanna, b GMT School, Ludhiana, 2-0.

Badminton (girls u-17): Satluj Public School b Green Land Model School, Ludhiana, 2-0; Sita Grammer School, Malerkotla, b BCM School, Shastri Nagar, Ludhiana, 2-0; Sacred Heart School, Ludhiana, b DAV Public School, BRS 
Nagar, Ludhiana 2-0; and GMT Public School, Ludhiana, b GPS, Mandi Gobindgarh, 2-0.

Badminton (boys u-17): Kundan Vidya Mandir School, Ludhiana, b GNPS, Ludhiana, 2-0; DAV School, Jagraon, b Green Land Model School, Ludhiana, 2-0; DAV School, BRS Nagar, Ludhiana, b GMT School, Ludhiana, 2-0; and Sacred Heart School, Ludhiana, b Lala Sarkarumal School, Khanna, 2-0.

Lawn tennis (boys u-19): GNP School, Ludhiana, b TPS, Ludhiana, 2-0; boys (u-17): BCM School, Shastri Nagar, b Sacred Heart Convent School, BRS Nagar, Ludhiana, 2-0; girls (u-17): BCM Shastri Nagar, Ludhiana, b Satluj Public School 2-0; girls (u-19): GNPS, Sarabha Nagar, Ludhiana, b BCM School, Shastri Nagar, Ludhiana, 2-1; boys (u-17): and BCM School, Shastri Nagar, Ludhiana, b CFC School, 
Ludhiana, 2-0.

Ludhiana, October 18
The torch of the IX All-India Transplant Games and SAARC Olympics, being organised on October 27-28 at Guru Nanak Stadium, was flagged off by Deputy Commissioner Ashok Gupta at a brief function from the Mini-Secretariat here today.

The torch, being carried by transplant recipients, will travel through various districts of Punjab to reach the stadium on October 25. The goal of the games is to increase public awareness on organ donation, demonstrate the success of transplants and to increase awareness in the transplant community on the benefits of fitness and well-being through transplant athletic programmes.

The Deputy Commissioner appreciated the initiative of DMC (H) and Punarjot Eye Bank for organising Transplant Olympics to create awareness among the masses about the importance of the organ donation.

He said Transplant Olympics would prove an effective platform to spread the noble message of organ donation. The religious organisation and NGOs should come forward to promote the organ donation as it could enlighten the lives of the people who were in need of some organ to survive.

Mr Gupta asked the people, who want to donate organ after their death, to fill the pledges only after discussing it with members of their families, so that the members did not hesitate in materialising the donation after death.

Dr Baldev Singh Aulakh, urologist and transplant surgeon, who is also the chief organiser of the event, said on this mega event, a seminar on organ donation and transplant was being organised on October 26 in Dumra Auditorium of the DMCH. Mr Surinder Singla, Minster for Health and Finance, would be the chief guest. Justice J.S. Verma, former Chief Justice of India, would be the guest of honour.

Dr Romesh Kumar, an ophthalmologist and Director, Punjarjot Eye Bank, said the Transplant Olympics torch symbolised the flame of life in the recipients and informed that the route of the torch would be Samrala, Morinda, Ropar, Nangal, Hoshiarpur, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, Ferozepore, Faridkot, Kot Kapura, Muktsar, Malout, Bathinda, Sangrur and Patiala.

Dr Gautam Biswas, Dr Virender Pal Singh and Dr Shruti Schar, all coorganisers, an awareness walk was being organised on October 27 by the Urology and Transplant Surgery Department of the DMCH.

The walk would start from Rose Garden on October 27 in which thousands of people, including foreign nationals, faculty members, medical and nursing students from SAARC countries, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Maldives, would participate.

The Nursing College of the DMCH was putting up a post transplant education gallery. The nursing students would display informative charts related to various aspects of organ donation and transplant.

Earlier, Mr Prem Gupta, secretary, DMCH Management Society, Dr Daljit Singh, Principal, DMCH, Dr Sandeep Puri, Dr Rajoo Singh Chhina, Dr S.C. Chopra, Dean, Academics, Dr G.P.I. Singh, Prof and Head Community Medicine, Mr Balwinder Singh Bhattal, a social worker, and faculty members of the DMCH also attended the flagging-off ceremony.