Plea to help thalassemic patients
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 28
Thalassemia minor is the commonest inherited disorder among Indians, and Punjabis are more prone to get the disease. Voluntary organisations and educational institutions should come forward in aid of these patients, as the incidence of the disease was increasing manifold, said Dr J.G.Jolly, former Head of the Department of Blood Transfusion Department at the PGI and visiting consultant at the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, here today.

Over 1000 children suffer from this genetic disorder in the northern region, said Dr Jolly. These patients varied in age from 1-20 and depended primarily on blood transfusion programme to meet the deficiency of haemoglobin. As a result of deficiency of haemoglobin and varying degree of anaemia resulting in low vitality and resistance to fight diseases, they invariably become victims of infections and associated complications, which have direct bearing on their growth and development.

Dr Amarjit Kaur, Head of the Blood Transfusion Department of the DMCH said, the main aim was to make people aware of the problem. She said the establishment of Thalassemia clinics where preventive, therapeutic and efficient counselling to the family could be provided was needed. This would require coordinated efforts of experts in the field of paediatrics, haematology, genetics, psychology and transfusion medicine. “All centres where such facilities could be available should initiate steps for setting up Thalassemia clinics to provide comprehensive services for them in medical colleges, where various expert doctors can join hands to treat these children”.

32 jaundice cases reported in city
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 28
The Health Department here today reported over 32 cases of jaundice in the city. All these cases were reported from the Adarsh colony in the Haibowal area.

Dr Rajinder Kaur, Civil Surgeon while talking to Ludhiana Tribune, said, “Though it is in epidemic form in the Haibowal area, there is no need to panic. We have already sent three teams in that area.”

She said that the department had also contacted various municipal councillors to take precautionary measures in these areas. She said the disease was spreading due to the consumption of contaminated water by area residents.

She said that they had already taken four samples of water from the area. “The analysis of these samples is done at Chandigarh but we have requested the bio-chemistry people of Punjab Agricultural University for immediate results. The exact reason can be found once we get the results”, she said.

Meanwhile, area residents to whom Ludhiana Tribune spoke complained of getting contaminated water. Some said that they had approached the officials concerned also but the officials failed to respond.

Mr V. Khullar, one of the residents of Haibowal, said that they were getting “yellow coloured” water for the past so many days. Dr Gursharan Singh, president of the district unit of the Indian Medical Association, while talking to Ludhiana Tribune, said that cases of jaundice were pouring in daily. “Jaundice is of A, B and C types. Jaundice A is of endemic form (from oral route), type B is infectious and spreads from needles and syringes and type C included isolated cases”.

The president said that people in the city suffered from A type jaundice. It is caused due to consumption of contaminated water, bad insanitation and unhygienic food. The symptoms include change in the colour of urine ( dark yellow), feeling of weakness, loss of appetite and distaste of smoking to smokers. “These are all pre-eye symptoms, after these symptoms the colour of eyes are changed,”said Dr Gursharan. He said that though it was not a dangerous disease yet a lot of precautions should be taken. “The patient should be given filtered water, food should be properly covered and cooked in hygienic conditions, separate thermometer should be given to the patient and if possible he/she should be given separate utensils. That’s the only way out and it is a self-limiting disease”.

To protect from the disease, HAV vaccination is available in the market but it is not used in abundance due to its costly price.

Three-day training programme
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, November 28
The Vice-Chancellor of PAU, Dr K S Aulakh, has said that to effectively meet the challenges of WTO, the liaison between farmers, scientists and administrators should be strengthened and the young administrators can play a significant role in creating and maintaining a strong bond. Dr Aulakh was talking to young IAS and IPS officers who came to the university to attend a three-day attachment training programme. Dr Aulakh further said that only efficient administration can provide a strong base for the development projects and in this regard young administrator have to shoulder a greater responsibility. Dr Aulakh called upon the young officers to work with dedication and commitment towards rural the development.