B A T H I N D A    E D I T I O N

Record turnout at medical camp
Badal (Muktsar), Sept 24
Elated over the success of the two-day mega medical check-up camp held at Badal village, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said a record had been created by diagnosing more than 11,000 patients in a single day, that too in a village, during the camp.

A team of doctors after visiting the PGI’s special cancer bus stationed at the mega medical check-up camp held at Badal village on Monday. A Tribune photograph

One killed in motorbike, tractor-trolley collision
Fazilka, September 24 One person was killed and another seriously injured in a road accident after a tractor-trolley collided with a motorcycle near Ladhuka Mandi in Fazilka sub-division today. The motorcycle caught fire in the accident and was reduced to ashes.

Punjabi poet shoots self to death
Barnala, September 24
A Punjabi poet, Jai Kishan Kaushal (74), allegedly “committed” suicide on the intervening night of September 23 and September 24 here.

Awareness can check breast cancer deaths
Badal (Muktsar), Sept 24
The experts at PGIMER, Chandigarh, believe that excessive use of pesticides on crops and consumption of contaminated water are not the only reasons behind the increasing number of cancer cases in women. Lack of awareness and shyness also aggravates the situation, particularly in the Malwa region of Punjab.

Record turnout at medical camp
Archit Watts
Tribune News Service

Badal (Muktsar), Sept 24
Elated over the success of the two-day mega medical check-up camp held at Badal village, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said a record had been created by diagnosing more than 11,000 patients in a single day, that too in a village, during the camp.

As many as 17,626 people availed of the healthcare facilities at the two-day medical camp.

"This is a record in itself. As many as 11,109 patients turned up on the inaugural day of the medical camp, yesterday. Probably, the camp was the biggest of its kind in the country, which witnessed 11,109 patients on day one and 6,517 patients on day two," said Badal.

About yesterday's chaos at the camp, he said the officials concerned have learnt a number of things after organising this camp and the mistake would be repeated in future.

Meanwhile, having a discussion with a delegation of doctors who had come from Pakistan under the SAARC Surgical Care Society (SAARCSCS), Badal said the state government would extend all help and co-operation to the Society for setting up a SAARC hospital in Amritsar.

"Amritsar has been selected for setting up this prestigious hospital because the town has air connectivity with many countries. This will facilitate the doctors of the SAARC countries in rendering their services," maintained Badal.

The state government would soon identify the land so that the construction work could be started soon, he added.

The CM further said the governments of all countries along with the statutory international organizations must make concerted efforts for opening world hospitals in all the countries which would pave the way for providing excellent healthcare facilities to the people apart from spreading the message of mutual goodwill and trust.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal also visited the camp and lauded the efforts of the officials of the health department, district administration and others who worked day and night in making arrangements for the camp.

Amid reports that Chief Parliamentary Secretary (Health) Navjot Kaur Sidhu 'once again' bypassed Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal yesterday and handed over a memorandum to the Governor, Chief Minister and the Bathinda MP over the shortage of psychiatrists in the state, she clarified the matter today, saying, "I have not bypassed the Health Minister. The copy is still lying in my vehicle, which I will hand over to the minister."

Meanwhile, she also told Deputy CM Sukhbir Badal that she had prepared a project on solar power to save energy. On this, Sukhbir told her to meet him in Chandigarh to discuss the issue.

Next camp in Mansa district

Health Minister Madan Mohan Mittal informed Deputy CM Sukhbir Singh Badal that the next mega medical check-up camp would be held in Mansa district. "The approval has been taken from the CM and the date will be finalised soon," he said. Meanwhile, in a candid talk with the Health Minister, Sukhbir Badal sought holding of a similar medical camp in his Jalalabad constituency.

Special cancer bus

The PGIMER Chandigarh's special bus to diagnose cancer among women became a centre of attraction for the doctors of all disciplines, who had turned up at the camp. A number of doctors were seen making a round of the bus to see the latest equipment. "This is the lone bus of its kind in the world, which has the latest equipment like digital mammography, dexa machine and colposcopy imaging facility under one roof," claimed Dr N Khandelwal, Head, Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging, PGIMER Chandigarh. The bus was brought out of Chandigarh for the first time, he added. Nearly 60 women were diagnosed in the bus at the two-day camp. — TNS

One killed in motorbike, tractor-trolley collision
Tractor-trolley driver booked
Our Correspondent

Fazilka, September 24
One person was killed and another seriously injured in a road accident after a tractor-trolley collided with a motorcycle near Ladhuka Mandi in Fazilka sub-division today. The motorcycle caught fire in the accident and was reduced to ashes.

In-charge of Mandi Ladhuka police post, Beant Singh Bhatti said Kaskka Singh (55) and his nephew Kudeep Singh (35), residents of village Gandhar, were going on a bike to bring some household goods from Mandi Ladhuka for the wedding of their relative.

Their motorcycle collided head-on with a tractor-trolley coming from the opposite direction between village Tarobri and Fatehgarh.

The collision was so severe that the motorcycle caught fire and was reduced to ashes. Kakka Singh fell down from the motorcycle, sustained head injuries and died on the spot.

The pillion rider, Kuldeep Singh, who was seriously injured, was shifted to the Civil Hospital, Fazilka.

Bhatti said the driver of the tractor has been booked under section 304-A of the IPC.

The postmortem of the deceased was conducted at the local Civil Hospital in the evening. 

Punjabi poet shoots self to death
Tribune News Service

Barnala, September 24
A Punjabi poet, Jai Kishan Kaushal (74), allegedly “committed” suicide on the intervening night of September 23 and September 24 here.

The SHO of Barnala city police station Harwinder Pal Singh said Kaushal had “committed suicide” by shooting himself in the head with his licensed .12 bore rifle as he had reportedly been suffering from depression for some time.

The police had initiated proceedings under Section 174 of the CrPC in this case, the SHO added.

President of the Kendri Punjabi Lekhak Sabha (Sekhon), Dr Tejwant Mann today expressed grief and shock over the untimely death of Punjabi poet Jai Kishan Kaushal.

Mann said Kaushal had penned three books of poetry. He was one of the eminent poets of the Barnala school of poetry, he added.

Awareness can check breast cancer deaths
Archit Watts/TNS

Badal (Muktsar), Sept 24
The experts at PGIMER, Chandigarh, believe that excessive use of pesticides on crops and consumption of contaminated water are not the only reasons behind the increasing number of cancer cases in women. Lack of awareness and shyness also aggravates the situation, particularly in the Malwa region of Punjab.

"Women here are reluctant to discuss their problems with their family members. If they find any change in their breasts, which gives ample sign of an ailment, they don't discuss it with their husbands. And when the situation aggravates, only then do they discuss the matter. But in such cases, treatment is not available," said Dr N Khandelwal, Head, Department of Radiodiagnosis and Imaging at the PGIMER, Chandigarh.

Dr Khandelwal further appealed to the women above the age of 40, saying, "All women above the age of 40 must get their mammography done every year or at least once in two years."

Speaking further, he said, "In most areas here, lack of awareness is a reason behind the rising number of deaths due to cancer in women. It may also be in the genes of a person, which sooner or later, starts surfacing."

Similarly, Dr Tulika Singh, who is the in-charge of Asha Jyoti van of the institute, said, "After conducting tests on nearly 60 women at the mega medical check-up camp here, we have learnt that malnutrition is also a factor behind the increasing risk of cancer among women. Women belonging to the rural areas are least bothered about their health."

"A number of women told us that they hardly underwent any health examination," added Dr Tulika Singh.

Another expert, Dr Manphool Singhal, said, "I belong to this particular area and I have seen that people in this belt, either in Punjab or Haryana, are severely affected by Hepatitis-B or Hepatitis-C. Though the causes behind hepatitis are not known, but if not treated early, it may also lead to cancer."