HEALTH

Pigs along LoC main carriers of disease
Bipin Bhardwaj
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 11
Pigs along the Line of Control (LoC) have been proving main carriers of neuro cysticercosis in bordering areas of Pakistan from India. Since the population of pigs has gone up along the LoC, their excrement containing eggs of tapeworm has been spreading the disease.

The pigs host the neuro cysticercosis. Pakistan has hardly any patient suffering from the disease since the country does not have pigs.

A few cases of the neuro cysticercosis were detected along the LoC because of migration of pigs from across the border, claimed Prof Hasan Aziz, chief of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Control Programme, Pakistan, while talking to The Tribune. Mr Aziz was in city to attend the first-ever Indo-Pak Neuroscience Colloquium organised on epilepsy at the PGI.

Dr Aziz claimed that Pakistan had made tremendous advancements in the field of epilepsy after independence. The epilepsy has affected population in Pakistan on the same pattern as India because of similar genetic pool, geographical and environmental conditions. To eradicate the problem efforts are being done to make general public aware about the diseases at village level.

Commenting of advancements in the field of stem cell transplantation, Prof Aziz said Pakistan had made major researches in cardiology and hemophilia. The government has been lying emphasise on the peripheral stem cell. He, however, revealed that no development has been made in epilepsy surgery as yet.

Expressing concern over epilepsy management in other countries, Prof Aziz said over 70 per cent of the epileptic patients were still untreated for the disorders. The target of both the neighbouring countries should be to cover the untreated population.

A big section of the population believe that the disease is because of black magic so they avoid drugs. One cannot beat the belief system of the continent, opined Prof Aziz.

Heading a delegation of 16 neurologists from Pakistan, Prof Aziz, a former chief of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Institution, Karachi, claimed that treating epilepsy in an advanced stage was quite difficult. He highlighted the pros and cons of medicines used for treating the epilepsy.

Rain hits polio drive
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 11
The continuous rain accompanied by strong winds played a spoilsport with the polio eradication campaign launched by the UT Health Department. The department was unable to set up any booth for administering the vaccine.

Parents were seen roaming in search of booths in various sectors of the city.

As a result, the department has switched over to a door-to-door immunisation campaign because of the heavy downpour since yesterday.

A press note issued by the UT Health Department stated that 78,694 children of 0 to 5 years were given the vaccine on the first day of the drive. Today 2,100 personnel from different departments, including health, education, social welfare and NGOs participated in the drive. The door-to-door activity would continue on Monday and Tuesday.

Poor response at pulse polio booths
Tribune News Service

Panchkula, February 11
Rain played spoilsport with the pulse polio campaign today as polio drops were administered to only 71 per cent children in the age group of 0-5 years, here. Health authorities said against a target of over 77,000, only 55,000 children could be administered polio drops in the district.

As many as 62,877 children were administered polio drops in the district during the last round of pulse polio campaign in January this year.

Adoor-to-door campaign would be carried out over the next two days to identify all children who had been left out.

350 examined at medical camp

Incessant rain takes toll on PHL
Akash Ghai
Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, February 11
The incessant downpour marred another’s big tournament Premier Hockey League (PHL) scheduled to kick off today. The continuous rain forced the organisers to cancel the inaugural celebrations of the second leg of third PHL at Hockey Stadium, Sports Complex, Sector 42, here. The opening match between the home team Chandigarh Dynamos and Sher-e-Jalandhar, which was scheduled to start at 7 p m today, has been postponed.

“As it was difficult to hold match in such heavy rain so we have to take decision of postponing the match. The next date will be announced soon,” said Mr Shakeel Quereshi, Technical Tournament Director of PHL.

Despite heavy rain, over 100 hockey buffs turned up at the venue.

Talking to TNS, Bhawna and Princy said, “Many a time we have seen hockey and football matches being played in the rain. But here the organisers have postponed the match which is disappointing.”

For Seema and Rinku, the Sector 42 residents, who came to meet Punjabi pop singer Harbhajan Mann and Bollywood actor Jimmy Shergill, were also disappointed a lot as both the celebrities could not reach the venue due to bad weather.

“We read in the newspapers about the presence of Jimmy and Harbhajan during today’s match. So we came here to meet them. But the rain spoiled the whole programme as both of them have cancelled their visit”, said the duo.

Not only organisers and hockey buffs, the players were also disappointed.

Chandigarh Dynamos’ captain Rajpal Singh said, “No doubt, playing opening match is always an extra exciting experience. But postponement of today’s match could not decrease the enthusiasm of the team. We are ready to take on Sher-e-Jalandhar and when the time will come the spirits and passion will be the same”.